Scent of Your Destiny
by Andrew Hildreth
Summary: My first Shinji/Misato fic. It was fun to write. Hope you all enjoy! Rated M for language, sexual content, and some graphic violence. Many thanks to orionpax09 for his ideas! It's broken 60K! I'm speechless!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Shinji Ikari stood by a phone booth, waiting. He had received a letter in the mail and a photograph of a young woman in a bikini top and cut off shorts. On the picture, a handwritten note said: "Dear Shinji, I'm going to come and pick you up. Please wait for me…" and it gave the address where Shinji now stood. It was signed by someone named Misato Katsuragi. Along the side of the picture a post-script, in small print, said: "P.S.: Note the cleavage!". Next to the text was an arrow pointing to the cleavage that was exposed as the woman in the photo bent over towards the camera. Shinji pulled out the photograph and looked again at the young woman.

_She's got a nice body,_ he thought, _and she's not afraid of showing it off. If she's going to be my guardian from now on…whew…she's late, though. She said she'd be here by 2:00, and it's almost 2:30. I hope this lack of punctuality isn't a regular part of her personality._

Shinji wasn't an orphan. His mother had died when he was very young, and his father didn't want the continued responsibility and stress of trying to be a single parent, so he gave Shinji up as a ward of the state. Shinji's father had no legal rights to him, and Shinji felt no obligation to find him or contact him in any way, though Shinji did think often about what might happen if he ran into his father by accident on the street.

Shinji had grown up in various public houses, moving from foster home to foster home. All of his foster parents had said there was something about him that just made him impossible to handle or get close to; like an impassable barrier. All of Shinji's psychologists had told him that it was just repression from being abandoned by his father. Shinji knew better. He didn't know _exactly_ what it was, but he knew it had nothing to do with his father. It was more of a…sense… A feeling of higher destiny yet unfulfilled, corny though it sounded to him.

Shinji was brought out of his reminiscing by the sound of an engine approaching. It sounded like a sports car. He turned his head just in time to see a brand-new, bright blue Alpine A310 come skidding to a halt right next to him. Shinji knew quite a bit about cars for a 17-year-old. One of his earlier foster families had run an auto repair shop, and Shinji learned a lot from his foster father. Shinji could take apart just about any engine and put it back together again seamlessly. He also knew enough to be able to boost just about any vehicle on the road. He would never actually _steal_ a car, but he liked to know that he _could_.

The car's engine shut off. Shinji saw a pair of long, _beautiful_ legs swing out, followed by a dark grey, pencil miniskirt and a gorgeous body that was poured into a tight, black tank top that had a red leather coat pulled on over it. Her face was smooth and beautiful, and her head was topped by a luscious mane of purple hair that flowed gracefully past her shoulders. Shinji's jaw dropped to the pavement. She was even hotter in person than she was in the photo! The woman saw Shinji standing there and smiled.

"Shinji Ikari?"

"That's me," Shinji answered, slightly in shock, "Are you Miss Katsuragi?"

"Yup," Misato answered jovially, "It's good to finally meet you. Sorry I'm late, there was a wreck on the freeway and I kinda got caught in the aftermath."

"That's all right," said Shinji, recovering his composure, "I'm just glad that gorgeous car didn't get caught in the crash. _That_ would have been a _tragedy_."

"The _car_?!" Misato spluttered, suddenly indignant, "What about _me_?! Are you saying it _wouldn't_ have been a tragedy if your new guardian got caught in a car wreck and possibly killed?"

"Not at all," Shinji reassured her, "I'm just saying that that's a really beautiful car, sort of like the woman driving it."

Misato blushed brilliantly. Shinji grinned slyly as he saw his flattery take effect. If there was one other thing that Shinji was good at besides working on cars, it was charming other people into doing, saying, or giving him what he wanted. He wasn't _always_ proud of his subtle mind control abilities, but he did take great pleasure in getting what he wanted.

"You devil, you," Misato purred, "I'm going to have to watch out for your flattery if I'm going to keep you under control. So, is there any place you'd like to go right now?"

"How about to go see where I'm going to be living for the next 6 months?" Shinji asked, climbing into the passenger seat of Misato's car.

"Six months?" Misato asked, getting into the car with Shinji, "How do you figure you'll only be with me for six months?"

"I figure six months because that's about the average amount of time it takes for my foster family to get sick of me," Shinji said with a lark, "I think my record for my shortest stay is one week. I didn't even have time to fully unpack."

"Well," said Misato, hiding her shock, "if that's your _shortest_ stay, what's your record for longest stay in one place?"

"Hmm…" Shinji thought, "I think that would be… 10 months? Give or take a week or two, of course."

"So you've never been in one home for more than a year?"

"Not since I hit puberty," Shinji said.

"Ahh," Misato said, a triumphant look on her face, "a troubled teen, eh? Well, I know how to deal with that."

"Oh yeah?" Shinji asked rebelliously, "And how's that?"

"You need to find yourself a girl," Misato grinned, as if it were obvious.

"A girl," Shinji repeated incredulously, raising an eyebrow, "You're kidding, right?"

"Not at all," replied Misato, waving a hand, "It's my experience that a troubled teen male finds comfort and stability much more easily when he has a significant other that he can confide in."

"What about parents?" Shinji asked, "Isn't the teen supposed to confide in them?"

"Well, sure," Misato conceded, "but there are some things that you just can't talk to a parent about, you know? Sometimes you need someone _your_ age to trust with your secrets."

Shinji nodded thoughtfully. Misato had a point. There _were_ some things that a child just couldn't talk to his or her parents, or in Shinji's case _foster_ parents, about. Still, he wondered, what kind of girl would be interested in a boy who moved around from foster home to foster home and was home schooled because he was deemed too "emotionally unstable" to be put in a public school. Not many, he concluded ruefully. Shinji often got depressed when he stopped to think about how alone he'd been all his life.

But Shinji felt that he could finally put those lonely days behind him. He was in a new city, with a totally new environment, and new opportunities to meet people. Shinji allowed himself a moment of hopeful happiness.

"Miss Katsuragi?" Shinji asked.

"Just Misato's fine," Misato answered, "What's up?"

"Misato," Shinji said, "Where am I going to go to school?"

"Oh, that," said Misato, "Well… I thought I'd home school you."

Seeing the look on Shinji's face at the mention of home schooling, Misato continued:

"I know that you know that I've read your files, but I'm not home schooling you because I think you're 'emotionally unstable'. I'm keeping you out of this city's schools because they're havens for druggies and juvenile delinquents. I don't want to see you end up in that kind of environment; it would be irresponsible of me as your guardian to allow that to happen."

"So, I'm not going to make any friends my own age?" Shinji asked, his mood beginning to sink.

"Did I say that?" Misato asked. Shinji's depression began to lift and he looked hopefully over at Misato.

"I can assure you that there are plenty of other teens in my neighborhood who would be more than glad to meet you," Misato continued, smiling, "Many of them have been home schooled for pretty much the same reasons that I gave you. Their parents didn't want them getting caught in the gang and drug culture that this city is a haven for. I'm not proud of the city I live in, but I do like living in the suburbs."

Misato and Shinji drove around the city, giving Shinji a good look down on the tall buildings and dirty streets that he would soon become very familiar with. Shinji smiled as he surveyed the city. If what Misato said was true, he would feel right at home in this city. Compared to the previous city that he had lived in, Shinji's current home city of Los Angeles would seem like an Eden. Shinji's last home was on the mean streets of Detroit, where he heard a drive-by shooting go by every other night; some weeks it was _every_ night. Shinji wondered what his first night in the suburbs would be like.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Shinji and Misato climbed out of the car in a small cul-de-sac neighborhood. By the size and style of most of the houses, Shinji guessed that this was an upper-middleclass section of town. That was good, he thought, it meant that he could live in relative comfort without feeling like he was out of place in a rich person's neighborhood. Shinji breathed deeply in through his nose. The air was thick with car and truck exhaust, but that wasn't surprising to Shinji.

_It's a city_, he thought, _it's a constant. This is a nice neighborhood, though. I think I'll like it here. That is, until Misato gets sick of me and kicks me out. Hell, I'm almost eighteen. I'll bet that once I turn 18 next week, Misato will kick me out and I'll be on my own._

Shinji was brought out of his daze by Misato's cheerful tone.

"Well, here we are. Home, sweet home."

Misato had parked her car in front of a medium-large, white house. Shinji stepped over the threshold of the front door and into the front hallway. He was shocked. He could hear his footsteps echoing on the hardwood floor through the immensely cave-like hall.

"I'm…home," Shinji whispered, his voice muted by shock and uncertainty.

"Welcome home," Misato replied, "Let's go take a look at your room."

Shinji followed Misato up the stairs to the second floor hallway. The carpet felt plush and springy under his feet. It was obviously either _very_ well cared-for, or practically new. Misato led Shinji to a door near the end of the hall that had a small, hand made sign taped to it that read: "Shinji's lovely suite". Shinji chuckled mildly at this cute joke. He turned the knob and opened the door.

Shinji's jaw dropped to the floor. His room was enormous! It was practically a house in and of itself. The only thing it was missing was a kitchen. He walked around and began to examine his space. The room had four doors in it: the one to the hallway that he had just come from, one to his large, walk-in closet, one to an adjoining bathroom, and a sliding glass door to a balcony that adjoined his room.

"You like it?" Misato asked.

Shinji could only stammer in response. He was deeply in a state of shock. He had been through dozens of foster homes, but none like this.

"I think I could learn to like it here," Shinji said softly.

"Well, that's good," Misato said with a smile, "Why don't you unpack a little bit and get settled in, and I'll go make a couple of calls."

"Calls?" Shinji asked, "To whom?"

"Why, the neighbors, of course," Misato said, "I want to have a party to introduce everyone to my new housemate. And who knows? There might even be a couple of girls your age who might come."

Misato added the last bit with a sly wink, and then ducked, laughing, out of the room to avoid the pillow Shinji threw at her. Alone in his gigantic room, Shinji decided to explore his surroundings. His first stop was the cavernous bathroom.

He walked in a found a white, ceramic tile floor, a white marble tub, and black granite sinks and counter tops. Shinji ran his hands along the smooth, stone counter, still awestruck at his good fortune. His next stop was to examine the white marble tub. It was immense. Shinji could have sworn that he would be able to swim laps in the deep, pool-like tub. Shinji saw jet ports, and realized that he had a Jacuzzi tub.

_Sweet_, Shinji thought, _If I can sneak a couple of girls in here, we can have a hot tub party._

However, Shinji doubted that that would be happening anytime soon. He figured on playing by the rules for at least a couple of days until he figured out what made Misato tick. He needed a couple of days to figure out her temper, her limits, and just how far he could push them before she broke on him.

Shinji's next destination was the balcony. His bedroom was on the second floor of the house, and it overlooked a small hillside. He had quite a view. He looked up, seeing the sky bloom and curve over his head. Looking to one side, Shinji spotted a pair of lounge couches.

_That'll be good for lying out under the stars,_ Shinji thought contentedly. He hadn't had a place that he could look at the stars in a long time. He missed it. He remembered one of his earliest foster homes was out in the suburbs, as well, and they had had a nice view of the sky, too. Whenever Shinji couldn't sleep, he would go out and lie in the grass and stare at the sky until he fell asleep in the yard.

"Shinji!" Misato called, "Come down here a sec, please?"

"Be right there," Shinji called back, taking another long look at the sky. Then, he walked back into the room, set down his bag and headed for the door.

"What's up, Misato?" Shinji asked, wandering his way into the kitchen.

"Well, absent-minded me forgot to give you the tour of the rest of your house," Misato said, "Come on."

"Sure," said Shinji with a shrug.

Misato led Shinji through the house, showing him the kitchen, the immensely huge dining room, the living room, the den, and all of those other boring rooms. Finally, she came to the last three doors that she hadn't opened for him. One led out into the backyard, where Shinji found yet another surprise.

"An in-ground swimming pool?" Shinji asked, not believing his eyes, "Are you kidding me?"

"Not at all," Misato replied, "And in that small building across the yard is a full-size hot tub. You can see it through the glass. Quite a few parties have been saved by that tub."

"I'll bet," Shinji said, grinning mischievously.

Misato led Shinji back inside the house and to a door that was down the hall from the living room. Misato told Shinji to close his eyes before she opened the door. As Misato led Shinji into the room, she said:

"Okay, Shinji, open your eyes."

Shinji opened his eyes and swore loudly with surprise. He was staring at the most massive home theatre system he had ever laid eyes upon. All around the room were an assortment of bean bag chairs and poofy couches facing a wall-sized screen. There was a projector module hanging from the ceiling. Shinji could have even sworn that he saw a popcorn machine and a drink bar in one corner of the dimly lit room.

"I can't believe it," Shinji said breathlessly, "This is _yours_?!"

"It's yours now, too, Shinji," said Misato, putting an arm around his shoulders, "This is your home now. I know it'll be hard, but follow me back out, there's one more door I need to show you."

"Okay," Shinji said reluctantly, tearing his bulging eyes away from the giant screen. Already his mind was abuzz with thoughts of what he would watch first on that fantastic set.

Misato led Shinji back up to the second floor and down to the end of the hallway and a door just beyond his room. She opened the door to a very large, plush-looking bedroom. Shinji could only assume that this was Misato's room.

"And this little treasure is _my_ room," Misato said, confirming Shinji's suspicions, "I hope I won't see you sneaking into my room to take advantage of me in the middle of the night."

Misato said this in a very falsely accusing tone. Shinji looked equally falsely guilty. The two of them shared a good laugh. Then, they heard the doorbell ring.

"Oh, that'll be the first of the neighbors arriving," said Misato, closing the door, "Come on, Shinji. Let's go say hi."

Shinji shrugged nonchalantly. He really didn't care one way or the other; that is, until he saw who was on the other side of the door. It was a cute, blue-haired girl and her two adults that Shinji assumed were her parents. Shinji hid his shock at seeing such a beauty, but he was still awe-struck.

_There are girls like _that _in this cul-de-sac?_ he thought dazedly, _I think I'm _definitely_ gonna like it here. Still, there's something missing about her. I just can't seem to place it, though. Ah, well._

"Shinji Ikari," Misato said, "meet the Ayanami family: Shiro and Megumi and their daughter, Rei. Everyone, meet Shinji, my new housemate."

"Hi"s, "hello"s and handshakes were passed around the circle of four. When Shinji and Rei shook hands, their eyes met for a long moment. Rei smiled sweetly at Shinji, making his face turn red with flush. Shinji heard Misato chuckling quietly.

"What's so funny?" Shinji asked defensively, turning to glare at her.

"Oh, nothing," Misato said, still giggling slightly, "Come on in, guys. We'll go and wait for some of the other neighbors. Shinji, why don't you and Rei get to know each other a little better?"

Shinji knew exactly what Misato was trying to do. She was trying to play match-maker and set him up with one of the local girls. It wouldn't have been the first time someone had tried, and it probably wouldn't be the last, either.

"I wouldn't say no to a tour, Shinji," Rei said encouragingly, "I've never been inside Misato's house before. Could we go up and see your room?"

"There's not much up there right now," Shinji said evasively, "I just got here today, you know."

"That's all right," Rei said innocently, "Could we go somewhere else, though? It's kind of boring standing around in the front hall."

_She's not shy at all, is she?_ Shinji thought sarcastically.

"True," Shinji said, "but why don't we wait for a couple more people to get here before I give you the tour, that way we don't give a repeat performance?"

"I was the newest one in the neighborhood before you moved in," Rei said, taking Shinji's hand, "I feel a sort of…connection with you. Misato gives these 'welcome home parties' whenever there is a new neighbor, but when _we_ moved in, I opted to skip the party and stay at home. So, really, I've never seen Misato's house. I'm sure everyone else in the neighborhood has."

Shinji smiled. He could appreciate Rei's pursuit of attention. Still, he felt like he was playing right into Misato's hands by taking her on a private tour of a gigantic house where there was little chance that they'd be happened upon should anything start happening between them. Ah, well, he thought, better to let it play than act like a fool and say no to a cute girl who is obviously interested in him. He led Rei upstairs.

Shinji opened the door to his room and stepped aside. Rei stepped in and looked around at his relatively Spartan furnishings. Shinji walked in behind Rei and stood with a hand behind his head.

"There's not much here right now," Shinji repeated.

"You've got all that you really need," said Rei, "a bed, a chest of drawers, and a closet. And not even the dresser and closet so much as the bed."

"Are you seeing anyone, Rei?" Shinji asked.

"I'm not," Rei replied, "Are you asking me out?"

"Maybe I am," Shinji said cryptically, "What do you say?"

"You'll have to convince me," Rei purred. Then, she stepped up to Shinji and wrapped her arms playfully around his neck. Shinji leaned his head down to hers and gently kissed her. Rei responded in kind, and soon the two teens were making out like…well… teenagers. Shinji pulled away after a few minutes of this and said:

"Rei, I think we ought to slow down a little bit. I mean, don't get me wrong, you're a great kisser, but we barely know each other. Don't you think we might be rushing things just a little bit?"

"Maybe," said Rei playfully, reaching for the buttons on her blouse, "Or maybe I'm just trying my hardest to make you feel welcome. Now, could you help me? I always have a little bit of trouble with the buttons on this blouse."

_Ahh, what the hell_, Shinji thought, _She's hot. And she's hot for me. I don't think I'll end up dating her seriously, but you never know._

Shinji smiled as he slid his hands down Rei's arms and around to the front of her blouse. Rei moaned softly as Shinji's deft hands plucked at each of the buttons running down her front. Soon, the light-weight material parted of its own accord, and Shinji feasted his eyes on the white material of Rei's bra. At least, Shinji thought it was a bra. Then, he saw that it was actually a white bikini top.

"Rei," Shinji asked, "before we go any further: Are you looking for any kind of commitment out of this?"

"Are _you_?" Rei replied.

"To be honest," Shinji said, "no. I'm really not looking for any kind of relationship right now."

"How about a girl you can call on if you want company for a night here and there?" asked Rei.

"Are you offering?"

"Do I sound like I'm offering?" Rei asked.

"Okay," said Shinji, "You're on. You're my call-girl for now. Take off your shirt."

Rei smiled and obeyed. Shinji sat her down on the bed and took a seat next to her. He put a hand behind her head, drew her in, and kissed her again. He took his other hand and began sliding it up the inside of her thighs. Rei parted her thighs slightly to allow Shinji's questing hand better access.

In no time, Shinji's roving fingers found their way to the silky smooth texture of the bikini bottom that Rei had on beneath her skirt. Rei gasped when Shinji's fingers touched her nether region.

"Something wrong, Rei?" Shinji asked.

"No, nothing," Rei sighed, "It's just that…no one's ever…touched me there…Oh, god that feels so good…Don't stop…"

"You're a _virgin_, then?" Shinji asked, liking what he was hearing, "How delightful. It's been a while since I had a virgin."

Shinji got down on his knees in front of Rei and gripped the sides of her skirt. Rei lifted herself off of the bed and Shinji tugged gently on the material, feeling it slide off of Rei's shapely hips. While Shinji pulled her skirt off the rest of the way, Rei pulled off her shirt and cast it aside.

Shinji stood up and peeled off his T-shirt. Rei stood up and pressed herself against him. She kissed Shinji passionately for a long moment, and then started groping at the button on Shinji's jeans. Rei tugged at the heavy denim, which pooled around Shinji's ankles. He kicked them aside.

While Rei undid his pants, Shinji popped the clasp on Rei's bra. Rei's firm globes spilled out for Shinji to see as Rei slid the garment off her arms. Shinji and Rei smiled at each other. Then, Shinji dipped his head forward and took Rei's right nipple between his teeth and nibbled gently.

"Ah!" Rei gasped, "Oh, my god!"

"Just you wait," Shinji growled between his teeth, "It'll get even better before I'm through with you. Just wait'll I get to work on your _pussy_."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Rei and Shinji came back downstairs 45 minutes later. They had quickly reassembled themselves and made a quick journey downstairs to try to avert any more suspicion than necessary. If any of the parents or adults in the room had any doubts or questions as to what happened, they didn't voice them. Misato happened to catch Shinji's eye a few minutes after he had re-emerged with Rei and winked at him.

_She knows_, Shinji thought, trying not to blush and give it away.

Rei's parents were no longer the only ones who had arrived. There were now an additional nine people in the living room; six adults and three teenagers. All in all, including Rei's family and Misato and himself, there were five families present in the house. Shinji wasn't sure whether he should include himself and Misato as a "family", but the two of them made up a household.

_Ahh, what the hell,_ Shinji thought again, _Why _can't_ I call Misato family? Being around her feels more right than anywhere else that I've ever been. She's…amazing. Maybe if she wasn't so much older than me… Well, no sense in wishing for things that can't happen._

Meanwhile, Misato was having thoughts of her own.

_I thought that Rei would be a perfect match for Shinji. It looks like I could be mistaken. Usually when a couple does it and finds a real connection there's a sort of a glow around them. I don't sense that with Shinji and Rei. I mean, they _seem_ happy enough, but I don't think Shinji's really happy with her. You know…maybe if he weren't so much younger than me… Nah. He probably doesn't like older women._

Shinji looked around the room at the other teenagers. They all looked about his age. There was a red-head; she was tall and a little bit lanky. Her arms and legs were skinny, while her bosom and hips were starting to fill out. Shinji breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a sandy-haired boy with glasses sitting on one of the couches.

_Thank god I'm not the only guy in the neighborhood,_ Shinji thought, _This was beginning to feel like a bad episode of the Twilight Zone. The only teenage boy in a neighborhood of teenage girls, it boggles the mind._

The third teen was a more athletically-built boy with dark hair. By the look of him, Shinji guessed that he might have been a wrestler or even a martial artist. Truthfully, Shinji thought, he made him a little bit nervous. Shinji didn't like to be around people who were bigger than him. He didn't like to feel that intimidated. The sandy-haired boy walked over to Shinji and shook his hand warmly.

"I'm Kensuke Aida," he said brightly, "Welcome to the 'burbs. You need info about anything, I'm your guy. I can hack any OS that's ever been written,_ and_ I can—,"

"Talk somebody's ears off in a nanosecond," the red-head interrupted, "Shut up, Kensuke."

Then, turning to Shinji continued:

"Don't mind the computer nerd; he forgot to take his meds today. I'm Asuka Langley Soryu. Pleasure to meet me, huh?"

"Yeah, sure," Shinji replied, _Not just a _little_ full of herself._

"I'm Toji," the dark-haired boy said. His voice was low and a little bit gruntish. He also had a thick slur in his accent that suggested that he used to live in the city.

"You got a last name, Toji?" Shinji asked.

"Suzuhara," Toji's parents replied, walking over, "You'll have to forgive Toji. He's not a very social creature. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York, so he grew up having to be tough and self-protecting."

"I know the feeling," Shinji replied, "So, you're the neighbors, huh? Glad to meet you. This seems like a nice part of town."

"By comparison, it is," said Misato, "We've still got problems out here: The occasional robbery, an assault once in a while, sure, but compared to the inner city, where they have drug busts on an hourly basis and _still_ have a problem, this is paradise."

Shinji nodded thoughtfully at this. An _hourly_ basis? That's definitely a problem, if it wasn't an exaggeration.

"So what do you folks do for a good time out here in the 'burbs?" Shinji asked.

"Well, Misato hosts these house parties once in a while," Rei's father answered, "There's a community tennis court down the street about a block. I'm sure Misato drove you by that when you came in."

"Yeah, she did," said Shinji, "but I'm not much of a tennis kind of a guy."

"Neither's Kensuke," said Kensuke's mother, "He's not much of an outdoors type, period. He just sits up in his room and plays on his computer all day long. We practically had to pry him away with a crowbar just to get him to come here."

"And even so, he brought his laptop with him," Kensuke's father added.

"Dad, I _have_ to be able to access the Net at anytime in case there's some sort of crisis or situation!" Kensuke protested, "It's my civic duty to be able to hack into any database to provide information to my allies! It might save someone's life!"

"Uh, you _do_ know the Cold War's been over for at least fifteen years, right?" Asuka asked.

"Yeah?" Kensuke retorted, "Well, what about terrorists? In today's world, _they're_ a bigger deal than Communists."

"I can see that you're a great patriot, Kensuke," Shinji said, his tone friendly. Then, he dropped his voice and added under his breath, "_if_ a little paranoid."

"Thanks, Shinji," said Kensuke brightly. Then, he turned to Asuka and the others and said, "See? There _are_ people who appreciate me."

The crowd rolled their eyes as if to say "yeah, sure." Kensuke didn't notice. After all of the awkward small talk was out of the way, the party really started to get moving. Misato opened the enormous fridge in the kitchen to reveal a gigantic array of hard and soft drinks. Each of the teens grabbed a soda and Misato grabbed beers for each of the adults. Misato picked up a large remote and pressed a button. Rock and roll began to pour out of speakers throughout the entire house and yard.

"Okay," Misato said gleefully, "_now_ it's a party!"

"Cheers!" Shinji shouted in reply. Everyone in the room started milling about and enjoying themselves. After about an hour, Asuka walked up to Shinji and asked:

"Do you swim?"

"When the situation calls for it," Shinji replied.

"I'd say the situation calls for it," said Asuka, "It's summer time, and we're at a party that has a large, in-ground pool."

"And I have no swimming trunks," said Shinji matter-of-factly.

"That's okay," said Misato, walking over, "I have a couple of pairs here for when I have company over. You can use one of them until you get a pair of your own. They're up in your closet for whenever you want to get them out."

"But—I--," Shinji stammered. He hadn't been in a pool in several years, owing to the fact that he hadn't had _access_ to one in several years. Shinji also had a low self-image. He didn't feel that his body was worth seeing in anything less than shorts and a T-shirt.

"I'll come in with you," said Rei, sidling up beside Shinji and taking his hand.

Shinji found himself in a predicament. To say no at this point would make him look like a world-class spaz in front of all of these people. On the other hand, he really didn't want to get in the pool. He thought fast, the gears of his mind racing furiously, until he had his idea.

"How about we go for the hot tub, instead?" Shinji asked.

"We can do that in a couple hours, when it gets dark," said Asuka slyly, "I just don't want to feel anyone trying to grope me while we're in there!"

Asuka started laughing after she had said this. Clearly, she thought she had just made a joke worthy of Saturday Night Live. Shinji and the other teens who had heard this chuckled unamusedly, trying not to make the atmosphere _too_ awkward.

_Damn,_ Shinji thought, frustrated, _now what am I going to do? I really don't want to show off my pale, white skin in front of all these ladies! It's too embarrassing! I can't do it! I _won't

"Well," Misato said, "_I'm_ gonna go for a swim. Anyone else that wants to come along is welcome."

With that, Misato went upstairs to change. She came back down later in a blue bikini that had white, Hawaiian flowers printed on it. Shinji's jaw dropped open. He tried hard not to, but he found himself staring unashamedly at Misato's C-cup breasts, imagining her offering them for him to lick and suck at his pleasure.

Shinji snapped himself back to reality, realizing that he was starting to drool. He watched Misato walk out the patio door and out toward the pool. While she walked, Shinji followed every sway of her hips, every bounce of her ass, and every gentle jiggle of her magnificent breasts, which were slightly perky in the afternoon air. He was mesmerized.

_Oh, why,_ he asked himself, _why, why, _why_ did I have to be male? I'm horny for Misato, but I'm embarrassed to get into a bathing suit so I can get in the water with her! What am I gonna do?_

Just then, Shinji heard Misato dive into the pool, and his mind was made up in an instant. He dashed upstairs to his room and fumbled around in the closet for a pair of trunks and pulled them on. He yanked his T-shirt over his head and removed his watch. Then, he stepped out onto the balcony and looked down into the backyard, examining his view of the yard for the first time. He had a hope, and he prayed it was right.

Looking down, he saw the pool, and in it: his prize. Shinji focused his eyes hard, trying to read the depth marks painted on the side of the pool. He could see that his balcony was definitely closer to one end of the pool. Shinji prayed that it was the deep end.

He saw the indicator that he was looking for. Dimly visible through the haze of the afternoon heat, Shinji read a mark that said "20 ft." on the side of the pool. Shinji punched the air in triumph. He was over the deep end of the pool.

_No time to think about how crazy this stunt is,_ he thought, climbing up onto the railing, _Any _sane_ person wouldn't even _think_ about doing what I'm about to do. But I've gotta try. Hell, it might even be fun, who knows?_


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Look out below!"

Misato stopped in the middle of her lap across the pool and looked up to see where the voice had come from. She saw, to her horror, Shinji standing on the railing of his balcony in a pair of trunks. She waved her hands in panic and shouted:

"What do you think you're doing?! Don't!"

Her warning came too late. Shinji sprang from the balcony and crunched himself up into a cannonball dive after doing a front flip. Shinji had flipped forward to straighten his fall and to gain as much distance as he could horizontally. Shinji took a deep breath and braced himself for the sting. A heartbeat later, he hit the water, creating an explosion similar to the effects of a depth charge. Even crunched up into a ball, Shinji hit the bottom of the pool and bounced up. He uncurled and pushed himself towards the surface.

As soon as Shinji's head broke the surface, he became acutely aware of how much his spine hurt. He broke the water's surface with his butt, but the shock had obviously travelled right up his backbone and made it ache. Misato swam hurriedly over to where Shinji was treading water.

"Are you okay?" she asked, still panicking slightly.

"I think so," Shinji gasped. Then, he had just enough time to gasp a quick breath before Misato grabbed his head and pushed it under the water, making him flail and thrash. In his thrashing, Shinji's left hand made contact with Misato's breast. Misato gasped and released Shinji's head, moving away to avoid showing him that she was blushing. Shinji came back up, gasping harder for air, just in time to see everyone running outside to see what was going on.

"What the heck's going on out here?" Asuka asked loudly, "It sounded like a bomb went off!"

"Shinji jumped off his balcony into the pool," said Misato, pointing up at the balcony, "I guess he wanted to show off."

"That's almost 35 feet straight down!" Kensuke observed, looking from the balcony to the ground, "Not to mention the 20-odd feet that it is straight _out_ in order to avoid hitting the concrete."

"Not bad," said Toji, "I could'a done dat, too."

"Yeah, _sure_ you could, Toji," Kensuke teased.

"Not while _we're_ around, you _won't_!" Toji's mother exclaimed.

"Um…thanks?" Shinji said uncertainly.

Just then, he looked over and saw Rei stepping out of her skirt. She had already unbuttoned and removed her blouse, so now she was in nothing but her white bikini. Shinji eyed her appreciatively.

_I gotta say,_ Shinji thought, _she definitely looks good in white. Not quite as good as Misato looks, but still good. And I'll say it again: She's definitely not shy at all._

Rei walked over to the edge of the pool and stood. She smiled at Shinji, and then moved over to the diving board. Rei walked to the end of the diving board and stood for a moment. Then, she sprang from the board and into the water so gracefully that she seemed to barely break the surface. Shinji was impressed.

_She's a good diver._

Rei swam over to where Shinji was hanging on the side of the pool and hung next to him with one arm. Shinji felt her other arm slide down his back and grab gently on his buttocks. Shinji quickly suppressed a gasp of surprise.

_She's being awfully forward and blatant,_ he thought, _And after I just got done doing her, too. She can't possibly still be horny, can she?_

Shinji's question was answered when Rei looked at him, winked, and then jerked her head gently towards the house. Shinji answered with a look that said "Later, maybe." Rei looked disappointed. Shinji moved closer to Rei and whispered in her ear.

"If you're a good girl, I might ask you to come up to my room later tonight," Shinji murmured, "Until then, just act natural, okay? People will get suspicious."

"Okay," Rei whispered reluctantly. Then, she swam away and climbed out of the pool. Shinji thought he had hurt her feelings until she went back over to the diving board and dove back into the pool, once again causing barely a ripple.

"That's our girl," Shinji heard Rei's father say.

"What do you mean?" Shinji asked.

"Rei's on the diving team of the local YWCA," the man explained, "She has been since she was ten. She spends a lot of time over here at Misato's to practice since we don't have a pool of our own."

"Ahh," Shinji said, "I see. Well, she's really good. Has she won any awards?"

"She took first place at a County High-Dive Competition last year," said Rei's father proudly.

"Wow," said Shinji, raising his eyebrows, "I'm impressed. I can barely dive straight, and usually end up either doing a cannonball, or a belly-flop."

"Well, I think we're all glad that you chose the cannonball over the belly flop this time," said Rei's father. Shinji nodded in agreement.

After the moments of excitement in the pool, the rest of the afternoon passed without incident; unless you count Asuka losing her bikini top attempting to copy Rei's diving. She waited in the water, up against the edge of the pool while Kensuke taunted her with it, holding it just out of her reach so that she would have to get out of the water and expose herself. Kensuke got careless while waving it in her face and let himself get too close to Asuka. She grabbed him by the arm, yanked him into the pool and took her top back. Then, once she had it on, she proceeded to attempt to drown the little "'Net rat" as she called him.

The evening's activities consisted of a barbecue cook-out, and then the adults moved indoors to watch a beach volleyball game on TV in the den. Toji, to everyone's surprise, went in with them, saying that he wanted to "watch and learn".

"I guess Toji wants to play beach volleyball in college," Shinji remarked with a shrug.

"Let him go if he wants," said Asuka, "More room in the pool for me."

Asuka jumped back into the pool, making sure to keep her top on this time, Kensuke excused himself to the home theatre room to watch a movie. This left Shinji and Rei pretty much alone to decide their next moves.

"Well, Rei?" Shinji asked, "Would you like to continue your tour of the house?"

Shinji added the last bit with a sly grin. He expected Rei to jump at the chance to go back up to his room and get it on, but she only looked away. Shinji raised his eyebrows, concerned.

"Rei? Are you okay?" he asked.

"Shinji," Rei said quietly, not looking at him, "When you made love to me today, it made me realize something."

"What?" Shinji asked, "Was it…not good?"

"No," Rei said, "No, it was good. It was very, very good, and that's what's wrong. We can't keep this up, Shinji. I really want to, but I know that if we do, I'll end up falling more in love with you than I already am. And you aren't meant for me."

"What do you mean, Rei?" Shinji asked.

"While we were making love, your mind was somewhere else."

"I was thinking of you, Rei," Shinji said.

"Don't lie to me, Shinji," Rei said sadly, "It'll only make it hurt worse. I saw your eyes while we were in bed. They weren't looking at me. You were looking right _through_ me. You had someone else on your mind."

Shinji recoiled. He hadn't thought Rei had noticed. The whole time he and Rei were having sex, Shinji's mind was on Misato. While he was pounding into Rei, Shinji was envisioning himself pounding into Misato, instead. Hearing Rei call him on it made his guts writhe with guilt as though they were filled with live snakes. Shinji realized what he had done: He had used her. Shinji had used Rei just for a quick satisfaction of his carnal needs.

Realizing this made Shinji want to go back up to his balcony and jump again, this time onto solid ground. Rei finally turned to face Shinji and saw his blank stare. Seeing this shock on his face made Rei's normally tranquil features crack and flow into tears.

"I don't hate you, Shinji-kun," Rei whispered, hugging Shinji, "I could _never_ hate you. But we can't be together right now. We're not _meant_ to be together right now. If you still want company, I will be more than happy to give myself to you again, but…I think there is someone else in this house that needs you more."

"You know…?" Shinji whispered, shocked.

"I won't tell anyone that you love Misato, Shinji," Rei reassured him, "I'll leave that for you to reveal to her when the time is right."

With that, Rei picked up her things and left to go home. Shinji stumbled his way up to his bedroom, locked his door, and collapsed onto his bed. He lay in shock for several minutes before his mind finally processed what had just happened.

Shinji's chest began to tighten. He felt as though his lungs were imploding; he couldn't breathe right. His eyes began to burn. He blinked furiously, gasping for breath. Suddenly, with a loud cry of pain, Shinji threw himself off the side of his bed and lay on the floor, weeping bitterly. Shinji cursed and cried out, wishing death on himself for defiling Rei as he had done. He curled up into a fetal position and wept, convulsing and shaking, for nearly twenty minutes.

Finally, though, Shinji began to calm himself down. He reasoned that Rei had asked for it; he had not forced anything on her at all. This line of thought provided him with little comfort, however.

_I still stole her virginity_, Shinji argued mentally.

_Yeah, but _she _was the one who opened her legs_, Shinji's mind argued back, _You didn't force her to anything._

Shinji continued to argue with himself. Then, after a couple of minutes, Shinji started laughing hysterically. He didn't understand why he was laughing, depressed as he was.

"This is ridiculous," Shinji said aloud to his empty room, "Here I am, sitting on the floor and arguing with myself. Who am I? Jeff Dunham?"

Shinji picked himself up off of the floor and went back downstairs. Shinji slipped outside and snuck into the hot tub room in the yard. Shinji made sure to keep all the lights off as he turned on the jets and climbed into the steaming water. Shinji sighed as his body was enveloped in the warmth of the churning water.

Shinji lounged in the Jacuzzi for what felt like an eternity with his eyes blissfully closed. The world, and all its cares and troubles, had disappeared for him. He was now alone in his own world of warmth and contentment. Shinji tried hard to fight it, but he felt himself slipping off into sleep. While he dozed, dreams appeared.

Shinji saw streets and streetlamps rushing by. He felt powerful, strong, and confident. He felt like the alpha wolf of a pack; in total command of himself and everything around him. He was running through the streets; loping along with ease and stamina. He felt the light of the moon pouring on him, warm as sunlight. It filled his eyes, making them bright and alert.

The dream changed. Now, it reflected reality at the present. Shinji saw himself lounging in Misato's hot tub, alone. He heard the door to the tub-house slide open and looked over. He saw a voluptuous silhouette standing in the doorway. Shinji expected the lights to come on, but they didn't. She spoke, but her voice sounded distant and echoing.

"Shinji? Is that you in there?"

Shinji wanted to speak, but he was too relaxed to do more than mumble a response. The silhouette stepped over the threshold and into the small building. Shinji's eyes blurred in and out of focus. He couldn't discern who he was looking at.

_Long hair,_ Shinji thought drowsily, _It could be Asuka. She said she was gonna come in the hot tub later. But the curves are too nice to be Asuka. It's gotta be…_

"It's me, Shinji. It's Misato."

Misato reached out and touched Shinji's forehead with her hand. At that point, Shinji realized that he wasn't dreaming. The drowsy feeling that he had wasn't because he was asleep, it was because the water was too hot and he had been in it for too long.

"I gotta get…outta…" Shinji mumbled weakly.

"How long have you been in here?" Misato asked, "It's past ten! Everyone else went home over an hour ago. I've been looking everywhere for you."

"It's what time?" Shinji asked, still disoriented.

"It's 10:15 at night, Shinji," said Misato, taking him by the arm to help him get out of the tub.

"I was in there…that long?" Shinji muttered hazily, "Must've…fallen asleep…"

"When did you get in here?" Misato asked.

"Right after Rei left," Shinji answered, leaning heavily on Misato's shoulder.

"That was nearly three hours ago!" Misato gasped, "You could have drowned, or cooked to death and no one would have known. From now on, Shinji, don't get in here unless someone's in here with you."

"Are you volunteering?" Shinji asked tiredly.

"Maybe next time," said Misato, "Now, take a deep breath and get ready to swim. I'm going to jump in the pool with you to try and cool you down."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Shinji heaved a deep breath as hard as his heavy chest would take one. Then, Misato jumped into the middle section of the pool. Here, the water was about twelve feet deep. Shinji felt the cool water shock his skin as it opened itself and drew him down. Shinji realized just how hot his body was as he sank to the bottom. He could feel the heat being drawn out of him in waves and torrents, but he didn't feel like he was getting cold.

The air in his lungs felt stale. Shinji kicked off of the bottom of the pool and broke for the surface. Once his head was through, Shinji sucked in a reflexive lungful of air. He noticed that his chest didn't feel like it was being crushed by lead weights anymore. Shinji's tired arms and legs began to tread water, but he realized that he couldn't keep that up forever, so he struck out for the shallower end of the pool. Here, the water was five feet deep, and Shinji could stand, comfortably and completely supported in the water, and still be mostly submerged.

"How are you feeling?" Misato asked, swimming over to Shinji.

"Better now," Shinji replied, "Thanks, Misato. I would've died if you hadn't found me."

"You know, this wasn't the first time someone's passed out in my hot tub," Misato remarked, "But the other times all involved booze of some kind. You're the first someone to pass out from just the heat."

"I don't understand," Shinji said, puzzled, "Extreme heat and cold don't usually bother me that much. I just felt out of it when I climbed _into_ the thing, I guess. I thought that relaxing in there would be the thing to take my mind off of—,"

Shinji stopped himself, fearing that he would say too much. He had already said enough to get Misato's attention, though. She slid up in front of Shinji and pulled him into a gentle hug.

"You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to," Misato whispered gently, "I'm just glad you're okay."

Then, she pulled him out to arm's length and eyed him with mock seriousness.

"That's two reckless things you've done this afternoon," she said, "I guess you don't _want_ to stay here too long, then."

"No!" Shinji protested immediately, "No, Misato! I really like it here! I do! I'll behave from now on, I promise. I—,"

"Chill out, Shin-chan," Misato said, hugging him close again, "I was only picking. I like having you here. It's nice having a cute guy living with me."

"It's nice living with a…beautiful woman like you…Misato," Shinji said, feeling like a school boy with a crush.

"That's not the heat talking, is it?" Misato asked.

"No, I'm…pretty sure it's me," Shinji replied.

"So how are things with Rei?" Misato asked, moving away from Shinji a little bit.

"What things with me and Rei?" Shinji asked, "There's nothing between us."

"You mean you two _didn't_ do it when you were upstairs alone this afternoon?" Misato asked suspiciously, "Come on, Shinji, fess up. I've been around adults long enough to recognize the glow that a woman and a man have after they've just got done doing it. You and Rei were glowing, and I know that you two had a hot time."

"Okay, you caught me. I did her," Shinji admitted sheepishly, "But there's still nothing between us. It was a one-time thing. She and I agreed that we aren't supposed to be together right now. She was good, but she's not the one for me."

_Then I was right_, Misato thought, _they weren't happy together. Maybe this means I can get him to…No…he still wouldn't go for it. I want Shinji to love me, but it doesn't seem right for me to fall in love with the boy that I've been given charge of to care for. That makes me feel like I'm trying to jump my own son, even though I don't have any kids yet. I know that he's not my real kid, but I still don't want to try to figure out the whole "Is it incest?" trip._

Shinji looked quizzically at Misato as she tumbled through her thoughts. He didn't know whether what he was feeling was dementia from his heat stroke, or what, but he decided to take a chance. While Misato's guard was down, Shinji swept up close to her, put his arms around her and kissed her squarely on the lips. Misato gasped initially, but then sighed gently into Shinji's mouth as she returned the kiss passionately. After a long moment, the two of them broke apart, but kept their arms around each other.

"Do you do this with _all_ of the women who adopt you?" Misato purred.

"No," Shinji responded, his voice low, "You're special. Out of all of my guardians, past or present, you're the first one who ever showed that she cared enough to try to save my life. I appreciate that. Thank you."

"No," Misato said, "Thank _you_, Shinji. You just helped to make up my mind."

"About what?"

"You," Misato answered, "I knew that something was off with you and Rei after you came downstairs today. I can sort of read people. If they're going to be happy together, I can see it. But I didn't see anything with you and Rei, so I shouldn't have been so surprised when you told me that there wasn't anything between you two."

"Misato, I--,"

"Let me finish, please," Misato said, holding up a hand, "Like I said, you and Rei didn't look happy together, and that made me think. I'll admit I harbored selfish thoughts of making you my own, but I didn't think I _could_ while I was still your legal guardian. That just felt too much like incest when I thought about it."

"I'll be 18 on Tuesday," Shinji said, "Then you can just think of me as your housemate."

"I'd like to think of you as more than that, Shinji," Misato said, looking meaningfully into Shinji's eyes, "But not yet. Not while you're still underage and my legal responsibility. It just doesn't feel right. But I like you, Shinji, I really do. And you've given me an idea for your birthday present. Now, I think it's time that we went inside and got to bed."

"My first night in my newest, largest house ever," Shinji said, "I can hardly wait."

"Well, if you need anything, just come on over to my room and wake me up," Misato said, "Now, come on. Let's get indoors; it's starting to get a little chilly."

Shinji's brain was coming back up to full operating capacity, and at the mention of the word "chilly" his eyes unconsciously shifted down to look at Misato's breasts. Sure enough, her nipples were pert and straining against the material of her bathing suit top. Shinji smiled, and then blushed a little, hoping that it was too dark for Misato to notice that he was staring at her chest. A few minutes later, Shinji and Misato were upstairs at the doorway of Shinji's room. Misato gave Shinji another hug and said:

"'Night, Shinji. Welcome to the neighborhood."

After she said this, Misato closed the door and left Shinji to his own devices to get ready for bed. Shinji's mind dwelled on the kiss that he and Misato had shared. He wondered why Misato had let him do it if she wasn't sure if it was right. He wondered whether he could sneak a peek at her gorgeous body. Shinji's mind swirled with all of these lecherous and somewhat confusing thoughts. He decided to go wash his face with a cold cloth and turn in for the night.

Shinji walked into the bathroom and grabbed a washcloth from his towel rack. Shinji turned on the cold water tap and ran the cloth under the water. After washing his face, Shinji felt calmer and more focused. He looked around him and noticed something that he hadn't during his earlier inspection of the bathroom.

_There's another door in here,_ he observed, _and I'll lay money that I know where it leads._

Shinji shut off the bathroom lights and crept over to the new door. He pressed his ear against the door and listened hard. He thought he heard what sounded like a door closing, but he wasn't sure. Shinji took a chance and gently opened the door a crack. He peeked inside and focused his eyes.

It was Misato's room. Shinji nodded to himself as he saw his theory confirmed. He also saw, to his great surprise, Misato standing in the middle of her room. Shinji couldn't see her as well as he would have liked; she was standing in a darker part of the room, instead of a moonlit square. But, Shinji could still make out her shape clearly enough to see that she was untying her bikini top.

Shinji saw the delicate garment flutter to the floor. Next, he saw Misato slide the bottom half of her bathing suit down her legs. Shinji felt his tongue wagging lustily as he took in Misato's silhouette.

_I'd give my left _kidney_ for some night vision goggles right about now,_ he thought, not caring how ridiculous he might sound, _Oh, my god, yeah. Oh, please, Misato, walk into the moonlight! Oh, god, yeah. A little closer…A little more…Holy SHIT!_

Misato stepped into a moonlit patch and Shinji saw, for the first time, his housemate in the full monty. Shinji's eyes took her in greedily, and he resisted the urge to go barging into her room and do perverted things to her. He stared hungrily at Misato's breasts, imagining his lips fastened over their hard nipples and sucking and licking them until she screamed with pleasure. As he watched, Misato climbed into bed, still in nothing but her birthday suit.

_And she told me to come over and wake her up if I needed anything,_ Shinji thought, _Does she _want_ me to , or what?_

Misato rolled over and seemed to be looking at the doorway where Shinji was peeking from. Shinji couldn't tell whether she could see him or not, but he decided not to risk getting caught. Getting branded a peeping tom wasn't really the ideal way Shinji envisioned his first night going. Shinji decided that discretion was the better part of valor and carefully and slowly pulled the door closed.

Once back in his own room, Shinji stripped down to his boxers and crawled into his gigantic bed. Once there, Shinji felt very alone. He wondered if he could convince Misato to let him bunk with her for the night. Shinji quickly dismissed that foolish idea, feeling like he'd be imposing on her.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Shinji's first night in Misato's house passed fitfully. He awoke several different times, hearing noises to which he wasn't yet accustomed. He was also awakened by several strange dreams.

Once more he felt himself galloping through the streets, lithe and powerful. The moonlight felt warm and soft on his back. Shinji leaped into the air, feeling himself leave the pavement far below him. When he landed, the dream changed.

Shinji landed in a swimming pool, not unlike the one in Misato's backyard. However, instead of being buoyed back up to the surface, Shinji felt something hold him under the surface. Shinji started to panic. He thrashed and fought, trying desperately to get to the surface. No matter how hard he fought, however, he was unable to reach the surface with his head. His hands flailed about above the surface trying desperately to grab hold of something to pull himself from a watery grave. There was nothing to grab hold of, and Shinji's lungs were crying desperately for oxygen.

Just as Shinji thought he was going to die, he woke up; sweating and shaking. He gasped wildly for air, trying desperately to figure out why he saw himself drowning. Shinji's eyes wildly searched his room for something familiar. Of course, there wasn't anything. Shinji looked over at the bathroom door, hearing it open. Standing in the doorway, wearing a robe, was Misato. She strode quickly over to Shinji's bed and gathered the shivering teen into her arms. As Misato held Shinji's head against her chest, she stroked his hair and whispered gently:

"It's okay, Shinji, I'm right here. It's okay."

"I-I was drowning," Shinji whimpered, "Oh, god, I—I couldn't _breathe_, and--,"

"Shh, baby, shh," Misato cooed, "It was just a dream. It's over now."

"It felt so _real_, Misato," Shinji said softly, "I really thought that I was gonna die. It felt so _real_!"

"Did it feel as real as this?" Misato asked gently. Then, she tilted Shinji's head up to hers and kissed him again. Shinji's spasms decreased as he liplocked with the older woman. After a long moment, Misato slowly pulled away from Shinji, but kept him wrapped up in her tender embrace.

"Are you okay now?" Misato asked.

"I…thought we agreed that we shouldn't…shouldn't do that," Shinji said, shocked and confused.

"I know, but…I couldn't help myself," Misato admitted sheepishly, "You were so vulnerable; trying desperately to find some thread of reality to cling to. I thought it would help you. I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Misato," Shinji said, "I'm the one who should be sorry. I woke you up in the middle of the night because I had a nightmare. I feel so stupid."

"It's okay, Shinji-kun," Misato crooned, "It's your first night in a new house after a very weird afternoon. I'm really not surprised your subconscious is bouncing off the wall."

"Do you have to use such long words, Misato?" Shinji mumbled, "I just…enjoy feeling you so close to me. You don't have to say anything."

"Would you like me to stay in here with you tonight?"

Shinji's mind immediately screamed a resounding "YES!" to Misato's question. Shinji knew better than to sound too eager at a woman's suggestion of sleeping together. It betrayed the fact that the man thought with the head that _wasn't_ above his neck.

"Do you really think that would be all right?" Shinji asked cautiously.

"Who's going to know?" Misato replied, "I mean it's not like I live on a reality show where all of my daily business is broadcast to the entire nation."

"I suppose you're right," Shinji conceded, fighting hard to keep up his innocent façade, "Just keep your robe on, okay?"

"Why?" Misato asked, feigning having her feelings hurt, "Don't you want to see what I have on under it?"

"Well, I—I think you've got a great—Oh, goddamn it, you trapped me! Now I have to give the answer you're expecting or you'll get offended!"

"You're not the only one who's got a way with words," Misato said with a sly grin, "So how about it, handsome? You want the close-up view of the show you treated yourself to earlier?"

Before Shinji had a chance to protest the fact that Misato had caught him - ed, Misato had untied her robe, slipped it off, and climbed into the bed next to Shinji. Shinji felt Misato's soft, warm body press gently up against him, caressing his skin with hers. The thing that Shinji noticed the most was the softness of Misato's mounds as they pressed against the side of his chest. Despite several desperate attempts to avert his thoughts, Shinji felt his cock swelling to full staff under the covers.

"Mmm, do you want to remove your boxers and get a little more comfortable, Shinji?"

"I—I think I'm good," Shinji replied weakly. He didn't know why he was suddenly so nervous about being in bed with a beautiful, . It wasn't his first time, obviously; not even his first time that _day_.

Shinji felt Misato's hand slide down his torso towards his crotch. Shinji's breath caught in his throat with anticipation. Just before reaching his bulge, Misato stopped and nibbled on Shinji's ear.

"You know, Shinji, it really turns me on to think that you peeked in on me while I was stripping," Misato mumbled between her teeth as she tugged on Shinji's earlobe, "It turns me on even more to think that you saw me completely naked and didn't worry about getting caught peeping. You're such a dirty boy, Shinji."

"I am," Shinji whispered in reply, "What are you gonna do about it?"

"You'd _like_ me to tell you, wouldn't you, you dirty boy?" Misato growled playfully, "It would turn you on like crazy hearing me describe in detail all of the things that I'm going to make you do, wouldn't it?"

"Yes," Shinji hissed, his voice husky with lust.

"But you're already turned on like crazy, aren't you, dirty boy?" Misato teased, reaching for Shinji's cock.

"Yes," Shinji gasped as Misato's hand made contact with the tent in his boxers, "Oh, god! Please, Misato!"

"'Please, Misato' _what_, dirty boy?"

"Please, Misato," Shinji begged, "Use me!"

Misato smiled and tugged on the waistband of Shinji's boxers. Shinji obediently lifted his butt off of the bed and allowed Misato to release his throbbing hard-on. Misato gasped at Shinji's length and thickness.

"My, my, Shinji. That's a _big_ one!"

"It's yours, Misato," Shinji moaned, "It's all yours!"

"_Who's_ cock is this, dirty boy?!" Misato demanded, grasping her prize firmly at its root.

"It's yours, Misato!" Shinji shouted, "Oh, god, it's _yours_!"

"That's a good boy," Misato purred, getting up on her knees and lowering her face to Shinji's cock. Misato eyed his eight-inch meat stick hungrily, then turned to Shinji and asked: "How deep do you think I can take this, dirty boy?"

"As deep as you want, ma'am," Shinji said submissively.

"Good boy," Misato grinned.

Misato dove her head down and took the head and two inches of Shinji's cock into her mouth. Shinji gasped huskily and groaned loudly as Misato continued to drive her face down further on his pulsing shaft. Soon, Shinji felt Misato's nose brushing against his abdomen.

Misato released Shinji's cock with a small gag and then proceeded to give Shinji the best he had ever gotten. As Shinji felt Misato's soft mouth slide up and down around his shaft, he had to fight to stop himself from blowing his load in less than five minutes. She stopped and grasped his cock at the base.

"Please, Misato, don't stop!" Shinji begged.

"Why shouldn't I, dirty boy?" Misato teased, "I think I've given you all the reward that you've earned so far."

"What can I do to earn more?"

"You greedy boy," Misato scolded, then smiled, "To earn more, here's what you have to do: put your hands over your head."

Shinji quickly raised his hands over his head and grasped the bars at the head of his bed. Misato pulled the tie off of her bathrobe and lashed Shinji's hands to his head board. Shinji was now her captive.

"Now, dirty boy, eat me!" Misato gasped. Then, she straddled Shinji's face and grabbed him by the hair. Misato pulled Shinji's face up into her , forcing him to eat her out.

Shinji was amazed at Misato's creativity and . He was also extremely turned on by how she had taken charge of him. As Misato held his face in her wet crotch, Shinji lashed his tongue deeply inside her soaking sex. Misato kept a firm grip on Shinji's hair and ground his face from side to side against her , directing him exactly where she wanted him to pleasure her. Misato continued to ride Shinji's face for another ten minutes before she screamed:

"Oh shit! Shinji, I'm cumming! AAAAHHHH!!!"

Shinji felt his face get bathed by a veritable flood of love-juice from Misato's . Once the flood was over, Misato fell off of Shinji and lay beside him, panting for breath.

"God, Shinji, that was amazing!" Misato moaned, "Where did you learn to like that?"

"It's just a natural skill, I guess," Shinji groaned, "Misato, _please_!"

Shinji's cock was aching badly now. Blueballs was setting in heavily. Shinji feared that if he didn't have release soon, he might suffer permanent side effects. Misato heard the urgency in his voice and clamped her mouth firmly back onto Shinji's boner. She took two long, deep strokes on his wood before Shinji groaned:

"Oh god, Misato, here it comes--AAHH!"

Misato felt a huge blast of warm cum fill her mouth so fast that she couldn't swallow it all. She pulled Shinji's spurting cock out of her mouth and aimed it at her chest. Shinji watched as Misato pumped the rest of his seed all over her magnificent rack.

"Mmm, you sure are tasty, Shinji-kun," Misato purred, licking her lips, "I can't wait to feel you in my ."

"Untie me and I can go another round," Shinji said playfully.

"Do you really want to unwrap your birthday present early?" Misato asked, "Or do you want to wait for just a couple more days, and then see the surprise that I've got planned for you?"

Reluctantly, Shinji agreed to wait. Misato untied him, then went to the bathroom to rinse herself off. When she came out, Shinji was already asleep, so she climbed into bed and snuggled up against him. As she drifted off to sleep, she thought:

_He's an animal; a _wild _animal._


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Shinji woke up the following morning with his eyes closed. As he lay there, cool and comfortable in his air-conditioned room, Shinji tried to remember what exactly happened the previous evening. The harder he tried to remember what transpired, the hazier it seemed to become. Shinji began to wonder if what he remembered happening actually _did_ happen.

_If I open my eyes and Misato's still here, I'll know that it actually happened and I actually slept with her,_ Shinji decided. Then, he slowly and carefully opened his eyes.

Lying next to him, with her head resting on his chest was his guardian, still sleeping. Shinji sighed and smiled. It hadn't all been some kind of a fever dream. Shinji's slight movement caused Misato to stir.

"Hmmm…'Morning, handsome," she sighed, looking up into Shinji's blue eyes with a smile.

"'Morning," Shinji replied, "Sleep well?"

"After the way you wore me out, who _wouldn't_?" Misato asked, her smile widening as she snuggled closer to her boyfriend, "God, you were so _incredible_!"

"You weren't so bad, yourself," Shinji said, bending his head to kiss Misato on the forehead. The two lovers lay there cuddling for another five minutes before Misato asked:

"Shinji, what time is it?"

"It is…9:30," Shinji said, craning his head to look at the digital clock sitting on a stand beside his bed.

"Nine-thirty?!" Misato gasped, getting up with a start, "Holy hell, I'm going to be late!"

"For work, you mean?" Shinji asked.

"Yeah," said Misato quickly as she jumped out of bed and dashed to the bathroom to wash up. Shinji followed at a slower pace. He was aware that the two of them were still as naked as they had been last night, but he really wasn't fazed by it.

"So, Misato," Shinji asked, walking into the bathroom, "exactly what _do_ you do for a living? I mean, it's pretty obvious you make really good money, what with this gigantic house and that beautiful Alpine you have in your garage."

"I'm a CPA with Hart & Harvey Accounting," Misato answered briskly.

"You didn't really strike me as the accounting type," Shinji stated, "And anyway, isn't tax time in the spring? Why do you have to go into work? It's summer."

"I'm working off a backlog of companies who hire our firm to keep their books balanced the whole year round," Misato replied, "I'm currently doing the books for about ten different private corporations. And why don't I strike you as the accounting type?"

"I don't know," Shinji replied, "you're just so…"

"So _what_, Shinji?"

"Well…fun, I guess," Shinji said with a shrug, "I guess I fell into the stereotype that accountants are boring and don't know how to have a good time."

"Well, you know better _now_ don't you?" Misato grinned. Then, she quickly stepped through the door to her room. Again, Shinji followed her, but at a slightly more leisurely pace. When Shinji entered Misato's room, he found her at her dresser, selecting her undergarments. Shinji smiled as Misato pulled out a strap-less, red lace bra and a matching red thong.

"Those will be fun to take off of you tonight, Misato," Shinji said, his voice low and seductive.

"Ohh, Shinji, _please_ don't make me think about that right now," Misato moaned, her voice full of lustful pleading.

"Why not?"

"Because with you standing there buck naked and talking dirty like that, it's making me horny enough to throw you onto my bed and make you eat my pussy some more," Misato said, pulling on her underwear, "And if I do that, I'll be late to work for sure, and that'll get me in huge amounts of trouble."

"Well, we certainly don't want that," Shinji agreed with exaggerated seriousness.

Misato darted over to her closet and pulled out a gray skirt suit with a red dress blouse to go with it. As she dressed, Shinji watched this wild, sexy woman become a clean-cut, sexy business woman. Shinji felt himself falling even deeper in love with Misato, the lady who had started out as his guardian.

In a few minutes more, after a quick application of some makeup, Misato started for the downstairs. Shinji pulled on his boxers and followed her. Misato walked to the front door, her high-heeled pumps clicking loudly on the hardwood.

"All right," Misato said, running down a mental checklist, "There's stuff for breakfast in the fridge and freezer, help yourself. Feel free to invite friends over if you want, just don't throw any keggers without inviting me first. And no strippers please?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," said Shinji.

"Oh!" Misato said, snapping her fingers, "I just remembered something. Do you have your drivers' license?"

"Yeah," Shinji replied, "Why?"

"Follow me out to the garage, there's something I want to show you," said Misato. Shinji heard a note of excitement in her voice.

Shinji, feeling a little embarrassed that he was wandering around outside in his underwear, followed Misato to her three-car size garage. Shinji hadn't been inside the garage yet, but it made sense that Misato would have parked her car in there before all of the guests had arrived the previous day. Misato opened one of the carport doors and stepped inside, motioning for Shinji to follow. Shinji, feeling immensely curious, stepped into the garage. Shinji nodded to himself as he saw Misato's blue Alpine A310 sitting directly inside the door he had just walked through. Misato flicked a light switch and illuminated the rest of the car port. Shinji saw, at the far end of the garage, a vehicle covered in a dust blanket.

"Go ahead and take the cover off, Shinji," Misato said, "I think you'll like what you'll see."

Shinji gave Misato a questioning look. Misato only smiled and motioned with her head for him to go on. Shinji walked slowly over to the lumpy shape. He stood for a long moment, pondering what he was seeing.

_Hmm,_ he thought, _well, obviously it's a car. But what kind is it? Let's find out._

Shinji grasped the front end of the dust cover and pulled it back. From beneath the dirty, brown cloth emerged a sleek, shiny, black, 1977 Corvette Stingray. Shinji's jaw hit the floor as he took in the fantastic curves of the car. He stuttered with shock as he reached out to touch the car of his dreams, hardly daring to believe that what he was seeing was reality. As his hand made contact with the cool, metal exterior of the car, Shinji knew that he wasn't dreaming.

"How--?" Shinji stammered, "Where did--? Oh, my _god_!"

"Ebay," Misato replied, "That little gem set me back about 500 grand, but it was worth every penny."

"Does she run?" Shinji asked.

"Not right now," Misato admitted, "I think there might be something up with her engine. Maybe you could take a look at it? When I read your file, it said that you were good at working on cars. I mean, if you feel like taking care of a part of your 18th birthday present, that is."

"This is…m-_mine_?!" Shinji asked, totally flabbergasted.

"It is if you want it," Misato replied, "But now, I really must run. There are tools along the back wall, here, if you feel the urge to work on your baby. The key is hidden in the silverware drawer in the kitchen. If not, figure out some way to entertain yourself. I ought to be home around 4-ish, 'kay?"

"Okay," Shinji replied absently, still staring at his car.

"Bye!" Misato said cheerily. Then, she jumped into her car and pulled out.

Shinji stood there, still in his boxers, his feet getting chilly on the concrete floor. He didn't know quite what to make of his present situation. He had just spent the night, in bed and _naked_, with his guardian, and now he comes down in the morning to find out that he's got a cherry (mint condition) Corvette waiting for him in the garage of his house with his name on it.

"Can this morning get any better?" Shinji asked aloud.

"I think maybe it can," a voice from behind Shinji replied.

Shinji turned around fast. There, standing in the doorway of the carport, was Rei. Shinji didn't know what to say or do. When Rei had left the previous evening, she had left in tears, or virtually in tears. There was a long, awkward pause.

"Rei, what are _you_ doing here?" Shinji asked stupidly.

"I thought I'd come over and apologize for being so dramatic yesterday," Rei said, "I didn't mean to sound so…I don't know…_Young and the Restless_?"

"Well, I won't say it was easy to cope with what you made me realize, Rei," Shinji admitted, "I couldn't believe what I had done to you."

"You loved me," Rei said.

"I violated you," Shinji protested, "I stole something that you can never get back. I'm sorry."

"I'm not," said Rei gently, "and I hope that you'll get _over_ being sorry, because what we shared was magical."

"You really think so?" Shinji asked.

"Sure do," Rei replied with a smile, "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No, not yet," Shinji answered, "I just got up about ten minutes ago. I'm sure you heard Misato peeling out as she rushed off to work."

"I think the entire _development_ might have heard her," Rei said. Then, she and Shinji both laughed.

"Would you like to come in?" Shinji offered, "Misato said I can have anyone that I want over to the house while she's away. You could join me for breakfast, if you'd like."

"I'd like that," said Rei, still smiling, "but I've already eaten. How about I make _you_ breakfast, instead?"

"Umm, okay," Shinji said, shrugging his shoulders.

_People in this neighborhood sure are friendly,_ he thought, _But who am I to turn down a home cooked breakfast by a cute girl? Maybe if I'm lucky, she'll put on a cute little apron. I love seeing a girl in an apron when she's in the kitchen._

Shinji quickly realized that his line of thought was starting to seriously arouse him and that his boxers would be far less than adequate to restrain his rising dragon. He quickly excused himself to go and get dressed for the day. Once up in his room, Shinji quickly relieved his tension and put on some work clothes before too much time had elapsed and Rei became suspicious.

Once he was back downstairs, Shinji noticed the smell of food. Shinji followed his nose to the kitchen and found Rei frying up some eggs and bacon on the stove. To Shinji's disappointment, she didn't have an apron on. Shinji sat down at the kitchen's island and said:

"You know, it's really nice of you to cook breakfast for me. I hope you aren't planning on coming over to do this _every_ day."

"I will if you want me to," Rei replied, "Now, how do you like your eggs?"

"Over easy," Shinji replied, "with the yolks still nice and runny, please. And no, I wouldn't ask you to come over every morning just to cook breakfast for me. That wouldn't be fair of me. And don't try to talk me into it, either. My mind's made up."

"Okay," Rei said, sounding slightly defeated, "Well, your breakfast's about ready, if you'll get a plate out for it."

Shinji opened a cupboard and removed a medium-sized plate. Next, he pulled a fork out of the silverware drawer, rummaging for the key that Misato had mentioned while he was about it. While Rei piled the food onto the plate, Shinji grabbed a glass and went over to the fridge to help himself to some orange juice. Once Shinji had this, he sat down to eat his breakfast.

"You know, I feel kind of guilty about eating in front of you," Shinji said.

"Don't," Rei replied, "I told you, I've already _had_ breakfast."

Shinji took a bite of his food. His eyes widened with surprise.

"This is delicious!" Shinji exclaimed, "Where did you learn to cook like this?"

"Mom taught me," Rei answered, "I'm glad you like it. Eat up. I can even make more, if you'd like."

"I dunno," Shinji said through a mouthful of eggs, "This is gonna make me pretty full, and then I'm gonna get right to work."

"On what?" Rei asked.

"That car you saw me looking at," Shinji answered, "It's part of my birthday present. Misato said there might be something wrong with the engine, so I'm going to take the thing apart and see what's what."

"You work on cars?" said Rei, raising a surprised eyebrow.

"I did; for a while, anyway," Shinji replied, "When I was ten, I lived with a family near Cincinnati that owned an auto repair shop. When I wasn't doing schoolwork, I would hang out with the father, who actually did most of the repair work. He taught me everything he knew about cars and how to take them apart and put them back together again."

"So, you know all about every car on the road?"

"Not _every_ car," Shinji said, pausing to take a gulp of juice, "But most car engines are similar enough that the oddballs stand out. Take for example a Ford and a Chevy: you show me both engines and I can tell you with about 98 accuracy which one's which. However, both of them are made up of pretty much the same stuff put together in basically the same way. I sometimes have a little trouble with the imports. You know, Toyota, Suzuki, Suburu, and the like. But the thing with _imports_ is…they're _imported_. They're made of foreign parts and put together in a way that only the Japanese know."

Rei listened with rapt attention as Shinji went on about the different types of engines and cars that he had worked on in Cincinnati. As Shinji finished, he finished eating and dumped his dishes in the sink. Rei followed Shinji back out to the garage, where Shinji immediately set about finding all of the tools and equipment that he would need.

Shinji took a hydrolic jack and boosted the Corvette up off of the floor. Next, he pushed blocks under the axles and released the jack. The car was now up high enough that Shinji could crawl under the front end and lie on his back. Shinji popped the hood on the car, as well. Then, he hung a shop lamp on the underside of the hood and slid himself under the car.

"Let's go to work," he said.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Shinji worked for several hours on his car, assisted by Rei, who brought him whatever tools he might ask for. Shinji grunted and sweated, twisting at overtightened bolts and pulling at compacted wires and switches. Occasionally at first, and then more frequently, Rei would hear a string of muttered curse words flow out from under the car. At about one in the afternoon, Rei tapped Shinji on the shoulder and said:

"Would you like some lunch?"

"I dunno," Shinji answered, "This thing's still got a _long_ way to go before I'll call it 'driveable'. Whoever owned the thing before Misato kept the car _looking_ nice on the outside and on the interior, but when it came to the engine and other working parts of the car, it's fallen into almost complete disrepair. It needs a complete oil change as well as every filter on the car, _including_ air and fuel, the brake fluid _and_ power-steering fluid needs replaced, the brake pads should be changed, the spark plugs and wires need replaced, and the air-conditioning system needs charging. The thing's a wreck on wheels! And speaking of wheels, it needs four new tires! It'll take me _days_ to fix this thing up right. I need to keep working for as long as I can."

"Well, to keep working, you need to keep your strength up," said Rei, "And that means you should eat something. Come on, I'll start on lunch while you wash up."

And Shinji did, indeed need to wash up. In the course of almost three hours, Shinji's entire front had been coated in a fairly heavy layer of grease and oil, his hands and forearms especially. Shinji found some hand cleaner on the tool table in the garage and removed the worst of it from his hands and arms. Then, he followed Rei into the house and headed for the downstairs bathroom to wash off the hand cleaner and the remainder of the grease.

Once Shinji had finished washing up, he carefully peeled his oil-covered shirt over his head and hung it on the outside doorknob of the bathroom. He walked, bare-chested, into the kitchen and seated himself on one of the stools at the island. Rei eyed his muscular chest with a hungry look in her eyes as she remembered what he had given her the previous afternoon. Shinji caught her looking and smiled at her, causing her to blush and turn back to the stove.

"So," Shinji said, breaking the silence, "What's for lunch?"

"What sounds good?"

"Oh, anything," Shinji replied, "As long as it's quick, easy, and tasty."

"You really want to get back to working on that car, don't you?" said Rei with disbelief.

"Yeah, I really do," Shinji answered, "It's been a while since I last worked on a machine like that and it's my car, so I want to be able to drive it as soon as possible. If that means a few late nights and long days, so be it, as long as I get it done."

"You can be so narrow-minded about things sometimes," said Rei, shaking her head, "And yet at other times, you are the most charming, caring, and gentle person I've met in all my life."

"Thank you," Shinji said with a smile.

"You didn't _sound_ too gentle when you were working on the _car_, though," said Rei seriously, "I don't think I've ever heard _anyone_ swear as much as you did then."

"Oh," Shinji said, his voice falling apologetically, "yeah, sorry about that. It's a bad habit I fell into as I grew older. When I was working on a project and things weren't working as well as I thought they should, I'd string out a line of curse words until it worked. If I offended you, I'm sorry. I hardly know that I do it anymore."

"Well, you do," said Rei, "And it didn't really offend me, so much as it surprised me to hear it come out of your mouth. I mean, you talked dirty enough when you had me in bed yesterday, but…"

Rei let her voice trail off. She blushed furiously and turned away from Shinji again. Shinji walked up behind Rei and put his arms around her gently, crossing them just beneath her breasts. Rei sighed and leaned back against Shinji's torso.

"Why don't you let _me_ cook lunch?" Shinji offered.

"You can cook?" Rei asked.

"Probably not, but I'll give it a try anyway," Shinji joked. He and Rei chuckled.

Shinji walked over to the refrigerator and looked inside. He wasn't sure what he was looking for, but he'd know it when he found it. He turned briefly to look at Rei.

"What are you hungry for?" Shinji asked.

"Can you grill?" Rei asked, "How about some hamburgers?"

"Sounds good," said Shinji, nodding and pulling out some ground beef, "You wouldn't happen to have any secret family recipes that you'd like to share, would you?"

"I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you," Rei said. This caused Shinji to chuckle heartily.

"No, seriously, there is a recipe that my dad uses for his burgers, but I'm not sure if Misato has everything here that he uses," said Rei.

"Well, what do we need?" Shinji asked.

About an hour later, with some tweaking and creative adjustments to the recipe, Shinji and Rei were sitting out on the patio next to the grill enjoying their burgers. After lunch, Shinji grabbed his work shirt and started to head back out to the garage. Halfway out the door, he realized that if he was going to fix the car, he was going to need the parts and fluids to do it with. He was going to need almost four quarts of 10W-30 oil, new air, oil _and_ fuel filters, and all of the other assorted parts and supplies that were required to go with them. For that, he would need an auto parts store or garage. He decided to call Misato.

"Hello?"

"Misato? It's Shinji," said Shinji.

"What's up, Shinji?" Misato asked, "Is there a problem?"

"I'll say there is," Shinji replied, "The Vette's in really lousy shape."

Shinji proceeded to elaborate on the details of what was ailing his car. When he finished, he said:

"Is there an auto parts store nearby that I can go to?"

"Yeah," Misato answered, "Head down to Jackson Avenue. You'll find a small parts dealership there. Tell the guy at the counter that Misato sent you and he'll set you up on my tab. I keep a running line of credit with those guys because they do all of my repairs. Tell them what you need and they'll help you get it."

"Thanks, Misato," said Shinji, "See you later."

"Bye," Misato said. Then, she and Shinji hung up.

"Hey, Rei," Shinji asked, "How far is it to Jackson Avenue?"

"About three blocks," Rei asked, "Why?"

"There's an auto parts store there that I need to find," Shinji replied.

"Well, let's go."

"Hang on," Shinji said, "I'm not going out in my grease rags. Let me change quickly."

With that, Shinji hopped up the stairs to his room. Five minutes later, he came back downstairs wearing a clean pair of jeans and a dark green T-shirt. He carried his grease clothes to the garage door and dropped them on the stoop. Then, Shinji and Rei started off down the sidewalk, bound for Jackson Avenue. About ten minutes later, Shinji and Rei walked through the doors of a building that said Johnson Auto Supply and Repair.

"Can I help you?" a man with dark hair and glasses asked from behind the counter.

"Yeah, um, hi," Shinji said awkwardly, "I'm here to get some parts and supplies to fix up a Corvette Stingray."

"Model year?" the young man asked.

"'77," Shinji answered, "Black, hard-top. She needs a complete oil and filter change, new spark plugs and wires, new air and fuel filters, four new tires, and the brake system and power-steering system need completely flushed and refilled."

"That's quite a list," the man at the counter replied, "Do you know what you're looking for?"

"Yeah," Shinji replied, producing a list that he had jotted down as he worked. The young man examined it closely.

"Hmm," he hummed thoughtfully, "I can get you everything on this list today except for the fuel pump and filter. How will you be paying?"

"Misato sent me and told me to put it on her tab," Shinji answered.

"Oh, you know Misato?" the man asked, sounding pleased, "In that case, I guess we can call you 'friend' around here. My name's Hyuga. I really envy you if you're actually _living_ with Misato. She's a real hottie."

Shinji smiled and chuckled at this. Privately, however, he wondered if this strange man would try to make any kind of moves on his lover. However, Shinji's dark suspicion didn't show on his face. He maintained an amiable tone of voice as he said:

"I'm Shinji, by the way. It's nice to meet you. Now, how about those parts?"

"I'll be right back," Hyuga said briskly, "Hey, Aolba! Give me a hand out here!"

Fifteen minutes later, Shinji and Rei left the store carrying six large bags that contained a wide assortment of parts and fluids. The walk seemed to take much longer now that they were carrying about 100 pounds of equipment between them. Once they were back at Misato's house, Rei turned to Shinji and said:

"Shinji, as fun as today has been, I think I'll go home now. I'll talk to you later, sometime, okay?"

"Sure, Rei," Shinji replied, "See you."

Rei put down her bags and turned to leave. Once she was gone, Shinji pulled off his street clothes and changed back into his grease clothing. He picked up the bags containing all of the filters as well as the bag containing the four quarts of oil that he would need and carried them out to the garage.

Shinji spent the next two hours working on his car. He took great pain to make sure that every detail of the car was tuned and fixed just so. In the course of the two hours, Shinji basically dismantled the engine in order to change the air filter, drain the oil and change the oil filter, find and remove the old fuel pump and filter, and pull the plug on the power-steering lines.

Next, he pulled the wires off of the spark plugs and alternator and threw them aside. After that, Shinji carefully unscrewed and removed all six of the worn-out spark plugs and put them aside. When Misato pulled into the garage at 3:45 pm, she found Shinji under the car working on the brake and coolant lines.

"I'm home," she said.

"How was work?" Shinji asked from under the car.

"It was fine," Misato replied, "The same-old-same-old. How about you?"

"Well, you can pretty much see how my day has been," Shinji replied, "I've spent about five hours all told tearing this beast apart at the guts in order to give it a face lift."

Shinji dragged himself out from under the car and stood up. Misato giggled a little bit at how covered in oil Shinji was. Shinji looked back at her, in her clean, pressed business suit.

"Any progress?" Misato asked, regaining her composure.

"Some," said Shinji, "I have to say: without Rei's help this morning, I wouldn't be this far along."

"Oh, Rei was here, how nice," Misato said happily, "I hope you two had a nice time."

"We didn't do anything if that's what you're drilling at," Shinji said, scowling a little bit.

"I certainly hope not," Misato replied, "You're my boy-toy now. I don't want to share you with anyone else. And anyway, ease off. There's no reason to snap, I was just picking."

"Sorry," Shinji sighed, "It's just that car. It's being a royal pain in the ass, you know?"

"Cars will do that," Misato said understandingly, "I'm sure that a hot shower will do you a world of good."

"It certainly will if you're in it with me," said Shinji with a sly grin.

"Ohh, why not?" Misato conceded, "It's been a long day for me, too. Just wash off the worst of the grease before you get in my shower, okay? That stuff's hard on a drain. And get rid of your oily clothes before you drip anything on my carpet."

"Yeah, oil stains don't come out very well," Shinji agreed, "Okay. No problem."

With that, Shinji peeled his shirt off of him right there. Misato groaned softly as she saw his hard, chiseled chest extract itself from its grimy exterior. Next, Shinji removed his shoes and socks. Following this, Shinji unbelted his oily jeans and let them fall to the floor. He now stood in nothing but his boxers again. His light skin made a startling contrast against the oil that stained his hands and forearms again. Misato looked lustfully at the youth who moved in front of her.

_God _damn_ does this boy have a fine body!_ she moaned mentally, _Is it any wonder that he's got as nice a package as he does? I can't wait to suck him again._

"Shall we?" Shinji asked. He had used more of the hand cleaner and was now far less oil-covered than he had been.

"Definitely," Misato replied breathlessly. She was already imagining the hot water cascading over Shinji's body, and there was a wet heat between her legs that grew the more she thought about it.

_Misato must have spent a lot of time today thinking about what she wanted to do to me when she got home,_ Shinji thought, reading Misato's face, _Her cheeks are flushed, and I can hear her panting from here. She's really horny. I can only imagine what she's going to do to me once we're upstairs._


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Shinji and Misato stumbled into the bathroom, faces locked together. They tore at each other's clothing like wild beasts. Finally, Shinji had Misato down to the red bra and panties that he saw her put on that morning. He smiled as he continued to grope and feel Misato's firm, curvaceous body.

"Remember how I said that those would be fun to take you out of?" Shinji asked, reaching for the clasp on her bra.

"Yeah," Misato moaned as Shinji grasped her buttocks.

"Having fun yet?" Shinji asked, peeling her thong down over her hips.

"_Hell_ yeah," Misato moaned harder, "Now get that water going so _we_ can get going!"

Shinji pulled open the shower stall and turned on the hot water tap. Once the shower was steaming, he turned on the cold water until the scalding edge of the heat was gone. After that, Shinji and Misato tumbled into the shower together and at once picked up where they left off. Shinji dipped his head to Misato's C-cup rack and took one of her pert nipples into is mouth.

"Oh, fuck yesss!" Misato hissed loudly.

"You like that, do you?" Shinji growled playfully, "Well, how about _this_?"

Shinji released Misato's nipple from his mouth and started tweaking and twisting them both with his thumbs and forefingers. Misato gasped and then nearly screamed with arousal. Shinji laughed loudly as Misato's screams of pleasure increased in volume and tempo in time with his teasing. Finally, Misato had enough of the foreplay. She pulled Shinji to his feet and pinned him against the wall.

"Time for me to get what I've been dreaming about all day," Misato said huskily, her eyes bright with hunger and lust.

She dropped to her knees and drove her face forward onto Shinji's steel-stiff shlong. Shinji gasped heavily and groaned loudly as he felt Misato's tongue swirl around on his hard cock. The combination of Misato's mouth sliding on his dick and the water pouring over their bodies made Shinji's arousal go into overdrive. He gripped a double handful of Misato's smooth, purple tresses and began to actively fuck her mouth. Misato groaned happily around Shinji's manhood as it pumped rapidly in and out of her throat. With a pop, Shinji pulled his cock completely free of Misato's mouth.

"You have no idea how hard it was to concentrate when all I could think about was your hard cock and how much I wanted it in my mouth again," Misato moaned, standing up and kissing Shinji fiercely.

"If it's any consolation, I couldn't help but think about that sweet 'tang of yours while I was alone today," Shinji growled sensuously.

"No more talk," Misato gasped, "It's time for you to put that tongue to _better_ use!"

After hearing Misato say that, Shinji pushed her off of him and pinned _her_ up against the wall. He proceeded to lick and suck at each of Misato's nipples, first flicking lightly over each one then drawing circles around each on with just the tip of his tongue. After that, he took one between his fingers and one between his teeth. He nipped hard with his teeth and twisted with his fingers. Misato shrieked with joy.

"Oh, my god, YEAH!" she screamed, "Oh, god, Shinji more! MORE!"

Shinji sucked on Misato's tit as hard as he could, but then decided that he couldn't adequately pleasure her just by playing with her boobs. Shinji slid down to his knees, stopping to tease Misato's belly-button with his tongue. Shinji felt the water pouring down Misato's body and into his mouth. He let it dribble and flow over his tongue and the rest of the way down until it cascaded over her pussy and down her legs.

Shinji moved his way down to Misato's crotch. Misato lifted one of her shapely legs and set it over Shinji's shoulder. Instead of diving right for her honey pot, Shinji slid his tongue up the inside of the thigh that was next to his head. He moved his tongue closer and closer, inch by tantalizing inch, until his tongue was almost touching her outer lips. Misato drew in a gasp of anticipation.

Shinji stopped and switched to the inside of Misato's other thigh. He did the same thing, sliding his tongue up until it was almost in contact with her pussy. He stopped again and switched back to Misato's other thigh. Misato was going wild.

"Shinji, stop _teasing_ me!" she begged piteously, "If you knew how much I needed your tongue in my pussy right now, you'd—OOHHH!!!"

Misato was cut off in her speech by Shinji pressing his tongue deeply into Misato's smooth, hairless, soaking-wet sex. Shinji felt her hips jerk and buck up against his face as he tongue-fucked his woman. Shinji grabbed her thighs and held her as still as he could while he ate her. The hot water pouring on her pussy made her taste even wetter and sexier than she had the night before. Shinji found Misato's clit and sucked it hard.

"OH SHIT!" Misato shrieked, "Oh, my _GOD_! Right there! Right—AAAA_AAAAAHHHHH_!"

Misato's scream of ecstasy echoed in the bathroom, and probably most of the house. Her hips leapt wildly, grinding and smashing themselves against Shinji's face as she came. Once her waves of pleasure had subsided, she looked down at Shinji, who was still licking her and said:

"Shinji, I need your cock in me. Right now!"

"What about my birthday present?" Shinji asked, toying with her.

"I've got something better than this planned for you tomorrow night!" Misato said hotly, "Now get that fat cock up here and fuck me with it!"

Misato's voice was wild with lust and need. Shinji got up and turned Misato around so that she was facing the wall. His right hand immediately dropped to Misato's crotch and started to play with her hot pussy. Misato bent over and put her hands against the wall, forcing Shinji to take a step back to reposition himself. She began to play with her pussy, first rubbing it, and then teasing the entrance of it with the tips of her fingers.

"Here it is, Shinji," Misato purred, looking wantonly back over her shoulder, "And it's all yours. Come and take me!"

Shinji laughed again, wildly and triumphantly. He slid his hands up and down and all around Misato's hips and butt. Misato, moaning the whole time, thrust her ass back harder into Shinji's hands. Shinji gripped Misato's ass tighter, signaling her to hold still. Shinji lined up his pulsing erection with Misato's soaked cunt and pushed in. Misato inhaled sharply as Shinji's hefty width stretched her unsuspecting pussy wide open.

"Am I hurting you too much, baby?" Shinji asked, concerned.

"God, no!" Misato gasped, "Oh, shit, no! Give me that cock! Fuck me hard!"

"If you say so," Shinji replied. With that, he pulled his cock out until only his mushroom-shaped head remained in Misato's pussy. Next he slammed it back deeply into Misato's womb, causing her to shout with joy. With each thrust Shinji made, Misato humped back, causing him to penetrate her deeper each time, until Shinji felt the head of his dick bumping Misato's cervix.

"Oh, fuck YEAH!" Misato yelled, "Fuck me, Shinji, fuck my fucking cunt!"

"I'll fuck you all right," Shinji growled, "I'll fuck you until you can't fucking walk straight you fucking whore!"

"Oh, yeah, talk dirty to me, baby," Misato moaned, "Let me know that I'm your bitch!"

"Yeah, you're my bitch, all right!" Shinji snarled, slapping Misato's ass, "You'd better call the office and let them know that you're going to be sick tomorrow, because you're not going anywhere except the bedroom and the kitchen to cook for us. Tomorrow's my birthday, and I've already made a wish for a slave."

"Oh, damn," Misato moaned with defeat, "you figured out the other part of your present. Tomorrow, and perhaps after that, I'm going to do whatever you command me to. You get to set the house rules for the day, and I'll be your slave."

"I think you've been my slave since the day you met me," Shinji growled, taking Misato by her hair, "Haven't you?"

"Yes, master," Misato hissed.

"I saw the look in your eyes when I called you beautiful," Shinji panted, pumping Misato's pussy even harder, "You blushed so red someone might have thought you were sunburned."

Shinji had to stop talking then because all of his breath was needed to keep him pumping into Misato's tight snatch. Misato's breathing became even more labored than Shinji's. She felt another orgasm coming at a hard gallop.

"Oh shit! Shinji, I'm cumming! AAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

Shinji felt Misato's pussy clamp tightly around his cock. Shinji, so close to the edge himself, felt his own pleasure reaching a crescendo. Shinji pulled his dick out of Misato's twat and pushed her down onto her knees. With one hand, Shinji gripped Misato's hair and pulled her head back so that she was looking up at him. With the other, Shinji jerked himself off until, with a loud growl, he felt his cock burst all over Misato's face.

"Oh god, yeah, Shinji. Give me that cum!" Misato moaned happily, "Oh yeah, all over my face!"

Shinji didn't think he would ever stop spurting, but eventually he did. Once his cock was finished squirting, Misato clamped her mouth hungrily back over Shinji's prick and sucked him until he softened.

"Mmm, yeah," Misato sighed, "That was so _good_, Shinji."

Shinji reached up and turned the water off, leaving him and Misato lying on the floor of the shower. After several long minutes together in this manner, Shinji looked at Misato and said:

"So, you're going to do whatever I ask tomorrow, huh?"

"That's right, darling," Misato replied, "The birthday boy will get a birthday slave."

"I can hardly wait," Shinji said eagerly.

"Hmm, I'll bet you can't," Misato purred, "Now, what time is it?"

"I'm not sure," Shinji replied, "There's no clock in this bathroom. Let's dry off and head downstairs."

Shinji and Misato carefully climbed out of the shower stall and dried each other off with some of Misato's fluffy bath towels. After that, the two lovers moved over into Misato's bedroom where she donned some athletic shorts and a sports bra. Shinji looked longingly at the exposed curves of Misato's body. Seeing her body barely covered by clothes was sexier to his eyes than seeing her fully naked.

"I think you need to put some clothes on, yourself, Shinji," Misato said, indicating Shinji's still nude body.

"Do you really want me to?" Shinji asked playfully.

"You know the answer to that one," Misato replied, walking over and gripping Shinji's spent cock gently, "And tonight you'll get another workout."

Shinji groaned with anticipation. Then, he returned to his bedroom and put on his jeans and green T-shirt. When he joined Misato downstairs, he happened to see a clock that said 5:15 pm. Shinji chuckled softly at the combined stamina of himself and Misato being able to go for an hour and a half without a pause. He wondered how long he could go if he and Misato had all _day_ together.

_I suppose I'll get my answer tomorrow_, he thought.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Shinji, after another wild night of great sex with Misato, woke up the following morning with a brief thrill of excitement. It was his birthday; his eighteenth birthday! He was finally a man; old enough to smoke, buy porn, and vote. Misato was on her side turned away from Shinji when he woke up, so he decided to slip out of bed and go for a shower.

Shinji slid as gently as he could out from between the covers, and tiptoed over to the bathroom. After a quick shower, Shinji emerged and found Misato sitting up in bed, wrapped in the sheets. Shinji smiled, seeing Misato's perky nipples standing out against the thin material of the sheets. Misato smiled when she saw Shinji standing there in naught but a towel.

"Happy birthday, Shinji," said Misato.

"Thanks, Misato," Shinji replied, "When do we start?"

"Whenever you want, master," Misato replied, "This is_ your_ party, after all."

"Yeah, I guess it is," Shinji agreed, smiling mischievously, "Well, let's get started. Out of bed, Misato, it's time to get up."

"Yes, sir," Misato said, sliding out of bed and starting to wrap herself in the sheet she was holding.

"Ah, ah, ah," Shinji chided, holding up his hand. Misato froze.

"What's the matter, master?" Misato asked, seeming very worried.

"I'll tell you what's the matter," Shinji said seriously, "What's the matter is that you're trying to cover yourself. That's rule number one, Misato: Wear only _what_ I command you to, _when_ I command you to. Understand?"

"Yes, sir," Misato replied, dropping the sheet and exposing herself, "What would you have me wear, master?"

"I haven't quite decided," Shinji replied, "But I _will_ tell you that it won't be much; just enough to cover the essentials."

Misato nodded humbly. There was a moment of stillness, then Misato asked:

"Master, what are your other rules?"

"The _other_ rules?" Shinji responded.

"Yes," Misato said, "you've only given me one rule to obey so far. Are there more?"

"More than likely," Shinji said coyly.

"May I know what they are, please?" asked Misato.

"You're asking a lot of questions, for a servant-girl," Shinji remarked, "But I suppose it _is_ only fair that I tell you the rules that you are to follow for today. You know rule one. Rule two is: You must obey any and every command I give you without question or hesitation. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good," said Shinji, "Rule three: You will serve me in any and every way I might require of you, without question. No task is off limits. If I require you to strip and walk out to the pool naked in broad daylight, you will do so happily and willingly. Understand?

"Yes, master," Misato responded, nodding, "Master?"

"What is it now, Misato?" Shinji asked with an air of feigned exasperation.

"May I ask one more question?"

"Just one more," Shinji said.

"Does this requirement extend to acts of sexual pleasure as well?" Misato asked.

"How do you mean that?" Shinji asked.

"I mean, if you order me to seduce another girl or woman for your viewing or sexual pleasure--," Misato began.

"You will do so without question," Shinji said, cutting her off, "Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir," Misato replied, "Of course."

"Very good. Now, walk out onto my balcony and stand in the sun."

Misato moved with the utmost grace, gliding smoothly across Shinji's carpet and out onto the balcony that adjoined his room and overlooked the yard and pool. Shinji watched her as she stood outside and leaned gently on the railing. He saw her lightly tanned skin catch the sun's morning rays in such a way that she seemed to be giving off her own light. Shinji whistled softly.

_She looks like some kind of angel_, he thought, staring awe-struck at Misato's Venus-esque figure, _and she's all mine. Heh, heh…_

A light breeze met Misato's skin and caused her hair to lift and flow slightly. She turned back to face her master with a contented smile on her lips. Shinji let the towel fall from his waist and walked out to join Misato on the balcony. He put his arms around his woman, pulled her in close, and kissed her deeply. Misato responded ardently and passionately, kissing Shinji with lustful abandon.

Shinji began to grope and feel Misato's lush body. Her nipples rose to instant erectness as Shinji's strong hands brushed against them. Misato moaned heartily into Shinji's mouth as his hands moved down to her plush ass. Shinji kneaded and squeezed the firm, yet pliable globes.

"Lie down on one of the benches, Misato," Shinji directed.

"Yes, sir," Misato replied. Then, she moved over to the nearest lounge chair and laid down on her back, awaiting her master's pleasure. Shinji walked over to where Misato lay and straddled the chair at Misato's feet. He pushed Misato's feet off the sides of the bench so that her legs were spread open to his view.

"Are you ready for an outdoor fuck, Misato?"

Misato nodded, unable to speak through her lust. Shinji smiled and drove his face forward into Misato's smooth crotch, drawing a loud cry of pleasure from Misato's lips. As Shinji licked and sucked at Misato's pussy, he let out low hums and growls that sent waves of extra pleasure rolling through her body.

Before Misato had the chance to cum, Shinji stopped his oral assault, leaving Misato panting for breath. She moaned pleadingly when Shinji moved his mouth away from her soaked snatch. Shinji chuckled evilly.

"What's the matter, Misato?"

"Please, master, more!" Misato begged piteously. Shinji chuckled some more. Then, he decided to take pity on his slave and give her what she was begging for. It was, after all, what _he_ wanted as well.

Shinji lined up his throbbing erection at the soaked entrance to Misato's snatch. He teased Misato by sliding the head of his tool all up and down her slit while groping her tits with his free hand. Just as Misato was about to scream with pent-up sexual frustration, Shinji sank himself balls-deep into her honey-hole.

Shinji pounded Misato's pussy on the lounge chair for several long minutes before turning her over on her hands and knees and entering her doggy-style. As soon as Shinji began to thrust in her from behind, Misato shrieked and came. Shinji continued to pummel Misato's pussy until he pulled out and wanked all over her perfect ass.

The remainder of Shinji's big day was spent enjoying Misato's attentions, both sexual and otherwise. They had sex in almost every room of the house. Some rooms, including Shinji's bedroom, and Misato's room, got used twice or three times throughout the course of the day. Shinji didn't tell Misato to wear anything except her flower-print bikini with a white maid's apron over top of it, and that was worn only at meal times. Shinji, meanwhile, wore only a pair of blue jeans. Misato was told to cook and serve all of the food at all three meals, but strangely, she didn't mind all that much.

"Now, Misato, one thing puzzles me," Shinji said during dinner.

"What's that, master?"

"Our first night together, when you tied me to the bed," Shinji said, "you showed a very dominant side. Yet, today you're taking orders happily and without hesitation. Why is that?"

"Because at heart, I really _am_ a submissive," Misato replied.

"Then, why--?"

"--did I act so dominant?" Misato finished, "When people are as horny as I was the first time we were together, they sometimes act a little outside their norms; or, in my case, a _lot_ outside."

"Uh-_huh_," Shinji said, "I see. So, you're a submissive."

"Yep," Misato said brightly.

"Then that means you'll be my slave during sex anytime, doesn't it?"

"I'll be your slave _all_ the time, if you wish it, master," Misato replied.

"Hmm, maybe a weekend here and there," Shinji said thoughtfully, "Now, it's time for cake and ice cream."

"I'll fetch them right now, sir," Misato said, getting up from the table.

"Misato," Shinji said, stopping her with his commanding tone.

"Yes, master?" Misato replied, turning around.

"Strip for me," Shinji said, "I want you to eat dessert naked."

"Yes sir," Misato said, untying her apron. In a matter of moments, she was standing nude to Shinji's gaze once again.

"Now, then, about dessert," Shinji said.

"Yes sir, at once," Misato said, continuing back over to the fridge.

Once all the sweet treats were laid out on the table, Shinji had Misato serve him up a dish of ice cream. While he ate, he thought about how best to enjoy himself next. He ran through several options, unable to decide quite what to have his slave do for him. Finally, he came to his decision.

"Misato, get up on the table and lie on your back," Shinji directed. When Misato looked slightly askance at him, Shinji added, "That's an _order_, slave."

Misato stood up out of her chair and climbed onto the dining room table. Shinji nodded with satisfaction as he saw his plan beginning to unfold. Once Misato was lying down on the table, Shinji stood up and grabbed the ice cream condiments. They included: sprayable whipped cream, chocolate syrup, strawberry preserves, maraschino cherries, chopped peanuts, and other sundae toppings.

"You know what I'm gonna do with these?" Shinji asked. Misato shook her head, "I'm going to turn _you _into my dessert, Misato. Now keep still."

Shinji took nearly ten minutes in sculpting his slave into his dream dessert. Once he was finished, Misato was covered in whipped cream and other toppings to the point that, at first glance, no one would have suspected that she was naked underneath. Shinji then began to clean her off. He started at her thighs, the lowest portion of her that was "topped", and began to lick all of the sweet, sugary goodness off of her. When his face and chin were suitably covered in whipped cream and sauces, he would move up to Misato's face and have her lick his face clean.

Shinji stopped short of Misato's crotch and moved up to her breasts, the highest portion of her body to be "topped". He picked the cherries off of her nipples and popped one into Misato's mouth. The other, he ate himself. Shinji busily licked off what seemed to be a gallon of chocolate sauce from Misato's ample bosom. The rest of her torso was soon to follow, with Shinji again taking breaks every so often to stop and have Misato lick his face clean. Finally, only Misato's sweetened crotch remained unlicked.

Shinji made his first few licks very light, so as to collect the whipped cream and chocolate onto his tongue without actually making contact with Misato's pussy. After a half-dozen or so of these shallow dips, Shinji took a long, deep lick at Misato's pussy, drawing a loud gasp and sigh of pleasure and relief from his slave. Shinji wasted no time and quickly emptied Misato's honey pot of all of the toppings and condiments that he had put there. However, he didn't stop licking. Shinji kept up a relentless oral assault on Misato's tired pussy until, with a shriek of delight, she creamed on his tongue for the umpteenth time that day.

By this point, night had fallen. Misato looked out the window and said:

"Master, there's a full moon tonight. Would you like to go out and look at it?"

"I think a moonlit swim might be _just_ the thing to cap off such an eventful birthday," Shinji agreed with a smile, "Good idea, Misato."

"Thank you, sir," Misato replied.

The two lovers walked out, hand in hand and bare naked, onto Misato's back patio. As soon as Shinji stepped outside, he immediately felt uneasy. His head felt like it was spinning somewhat, and his stomach was churning uncomfortably.

_Probably had too much sugar back there,_ he reasoned, attempting to calm himself, _It'll pass._

It didn't pass. Ten minutes later, Shinji excused himself to go up to bed. Misato, feeling concerned for the well-being of her master, decided to follow him. When Shinji reached his room, he stumbled inside, closed the door to the hallway and locked it. Then, he did the same for the door to the bathroom, shutting Misato out of his room entirely.

"Master, why won't you let me come in?" Misato asked from the hallway.

"I don't feel well, Misato," Shinji replied, stumbling for his bed, "I need to sleep it off. I'll talk to you in the morning. Good night."

"Are you sure you wouldn't—,"

"I said good night!" Shinji snapped. His vision was blurring, swimming with black. His insides felt like they were burning; about to explode. As soon as Shinji hit the covers, his world closed in to darkness.

Twenty miles away, a man with long, shaggy hair lifted his head with a start. As he loped out of the entrance of the cave that he had been in, his body began to grow and change. His snout elongated and fangs grew in his mouth, his ears moved to the top of his head, his shoulders widened and became much heavier set, his hands grew into claws, as did his feet. Hair, thick and bristly, sprouted from every inch of his body. A werewolf was on the prowl, and he sensed a newly awakened pup.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Shinji awoke the next morning, feeling immensely refreshed and invigorated. Whatever was wrong with him the previous evening seemed to have passed. Maybe, Shinji thought, maybe it _was_ just an overdose of sugar in his blood. At least he hadn't puked. Shinji noticed that he was in the nude.

_But I still had my jeans on when I fell into bed last night,_ Shinji thought, _Huh. Maybe I woke up just enough to pull them off. I don't remember doing that, but stranger things have happened._

Shinji pulled on some clothes and walked downstairs to find Misato sitting in the living room with several of the other adults from the neighborhood. Kensuke and Shinji's other friends were all there, also. Shinji was about to wish them all a cheerful "good morning" when he caught the air of deadly seriousness in the room. Something was very wrong. Shinji's smile quickly faded and his mood with it.

"What's going on?" Shinji asked, joining the powwow.

"Last night," Mrs. Aida said, "Kensuke said he saw a large animal prowling around the streets of the development, heading for the city."

"It was enormous," Kensuke said excitedly, "It looked kind of like a big bear, or a wolf, or something. It was too dark to really tell for sure what it was. When I went out to look this morning, all I found were some _huge_ paw prints in the mud of mom's flowerbed in front of the house."

"What was it?" Shinji asked, fully interested now in what his friend was saying.

"I'm really not all that sure," Kensuke said with a shrug, "I didn't really get that detailed a look at it. I have automatic webcams set up in both yards and the ones in the front yard got an okay look at whatever it was. It was dark, and my cameras are supposed to be used in the daylight. I've been trying to get mom and dad to buy me some night-vision cameras, but--,"

"Kensuke!" Shinji snapped.

"Sorry," Kensuke said, stopping his ramble, "Anyways, my cams in the front yard picked the thing up…sorta. I can pull up the best image that I have on my laptop for you."

"Do it," Shinji said, "I'd like to see what's prowling."

"You can't seriously believe that there's something in the neighborhood?" Asuka asked, disbelieving.

"Until I see proof that tells me different, I'm willing to accept anything as a possibility," Shinji said seriously, "Now, let's see what you've got, Kensuke."

The sandy-haired youth punched a few keys on his laptop, and in a few moments, the group of adults and teens were looking at a dark and fuzzy image of a large shape. Whatever it was, it was looking at the camera. Shinji noticed that it was on all fours, but its back legs were bent such that its long, muscular forearms could reach the ground. Shinji reasoned that this could mean that whatever it was had the capacity to be bipedal.

Whatever the creature was, it had large, wolf-like ears on top of its head, a long, muzzle-shaped snout, and shining eyes, like a cat's. Its shoulders were of an enormous build and hunched over, giving it an almost mountainous appearance. Every inch of the creature's body was covered in hair. Shinji noticed what looked like a tail growing from the creature's backside, as well as elongated talons on all of its paws.

_It's front appendages don't have paws, though,_ Shinji noticed, _They're…hands…_

"Kensuke," Misato said slowly, "what are we looking at here?"

"If I had to guess," Kensuke said, "I'd say a werewolf."

Asuka and Toji both broke out into raucous laughter at this suggestion. Misato shook her head disbelievingly. All of the other parents made similar signs of disbelief. Shinji, too, felt that this particular guess was a bit over-the-top, though he believed it more than the others appeared to. To Shinji, the theory of a werewolf seemed to make sense, somehow. The word struck a familiar chord somewhere in the back of Shinji's mind.

"A werewolf," Shinji murmured, "It's possible…"

"What's that, Shinji?" Misato asked, looking over at him.

"Nothing," Shinji said immediately, so quickly that quite a few eyebrows were raised in response.

"Really," Shinji said emphatically, "it's nothing. All I'm saying is that any explanation is possible as to what this thing is, that's all."

This response seemed to satisfy the questioning looks that Shinji was getting. Shinji was saved from having to answer any other questions by the sound of the doorbell ringing. He immediately volunteered to answer it and rushed to the front door. When Shinji opened the door, he saw a man with long, dark hair standing there. The man's hair was bound back in a ponytail, exposing his scruffy, unshaven face and dark-colored eyes. He was wearing a set of auto shop coveralls.

"Hi," the man said, "I'm looking for Shinji Ikari."

"You've found him," Shinji replied, "What can I do for you?"

"My name's Ryoji Kaji, I work for Johnson Auto," Kaji said, "Did you order some parts from us the other day?"

"I did, yeah," Shinji answered, "The only stuff I didn't pick up was the four new tires I need and the fuel system parts. They said that the fuel system needed to be ordered."

"Well, the order's in, that's why I'm here," said Kaji, "I have all of the other parts that you ordered. Where would you like them put?"

Before Shinji could answer, he heard footfalls on the hardwood behind him.

"Who's this?" Misato asked.

"His name's Kaji," Shinji said, "He works for the auto place that I got those parts from."

"Pleased to meet you," Kaji said, taking Misato's hand and flashing a winning smile. Shinji glared at him from the corner of his eye. There was something about this Kaji that made Shinji distrust him immediately, other than the fact that he seemed to be putting the moves on Misato.

"You can leave the parts outside the garage door," Shinji said, bringing the focus of the conversation back to Kaji-the-Casanova's job.

"Right," Kaji said, looking away from Misato with some reluctance.

A few minutes later, after unloading four new tires and a set of medium sized boxes, Kaji climbed into his truck and drove away. The whole time Kaji had been moving the heavy tires and boxes, his eyes hadn't left Misato's. It was as if Kaji were trying to win Misato's affection and attention. This attention made Misato blush and Shinji flush with protective rage. After Kaji left, Shinji immediately set to work on the car, a dark cloud still covering his features. Misato finally noticed Shinji's mood when, in the midst of trying to change one of the tires, Shinji happened to drop the four-way wrench on his foot, causing a long, loud string of curse words to fly out.

"Are you all right?" Misato asked concerned.

"Fine!" Shinji snapped, harder than he meant to.

"What's the matter?"

"What's the matter?" Shinji repeated, turning to face her, "A guy that I've never even _seen_ before hits on you like a college boy and you just stand there basking in it like a whore, knowing _full_ well how I feel about other men hitting on my girlfriend, and you have to ask _what's the matter_?!"

"I'm _what_?! Excuse me?!" Misato asked, insulted rage building a crescendo in her voice, "Did you just call me a _whore_?! How _dare_ you?! And who are you to think that I belong to _you_? Try to remember that I'm still your legal guardian, and you're still living under _my_ roof. That gives you _no _right _what_soever to talk to me like that!"

"I'm full grown now, Misato," Shinji shouted back, "And as soon as I get this damn car fixed up right, I'm out of here! So don't worry. As soon as I'm out of here, you can _have_ your little fling with Kaji. I hope you give him a better time than you gave me!"

With that, Shinji stormed out of the garage, leaving the car in pieces and Misato on the verge of tears. Shinji took off at an enraged sprint down the sidewalk, seemingly trying to out-run his pain. After about ten blocks, Shinji was out of breath and on the verge of tears himself. His blood pounded with abject, blind hatred. Exactly _why_ or _who_ Shinji hated the most, Shinji wasn't entirely sure of, but the fact remained that he hated them.

Shinji's first thought was to focus his hatred on Misato. After all, wasn't _she_ the one who accepted the way that idiot Kaji's had glanced and smiled at her? But that _couldn't_ be it, Shinji reasoned. He _loved_ Misato. _That_ was why he was hurting so badly; it was because he had seen the way another man had looked at the woman he loved, and the fact that she hadn't resisted made him, Shinji, feel utterly betrayed.

Maybe he hated Kaji more. Again no, Shinji reasoned. How could he logically hate someone that he barely knew? Certainly he shouldn't be _happy_ with Kaji. After all, hadn't Kaji tried to lure Misato away from him? But no, he didn't hate Kaji, either. Who, then? Who was the _true_ object of Shinji's hatred?

Himself? Did Shinji hate himself for yelling at Misato? Did he hate himself for calling her a whore? Or maybe Shinji just hated himself for being who he was: a motherless, fatherless, bastard child that no one really seemed to care about, who moved around from home to home. That _had_ to be it. Shinji looked back on the thoughts that he once had about why he didn't feel comfortable with any foster family; and sneered at them.

_Higher destiny unfulfilled,_ Shinji thought scornfully, _yeah-fucking-right! I don't have a destiny. I'm just a crazy son of a bitch who doesn't deserve to have a home. That's why all of my foster families kept kicking me out. They knew it, too._

Shinji wandered through the suburbs all day. While he walked, he sank deeper and deeper into a wave of depression. He also had long hours to think about what he had said that morning. When Shinji finally wandered back to Misato's house at nearly ten o'clock that night, he knew what he had to say. Before he could say or do anything, however, Shinji was confronted at the door by a frantic Misato.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!" she screeched at him, "I've been worrying myself sick!"

"S-sorry," Shinji said softly, not looking Misato in the eye. He was too ashamed of himself to even look at her.

"Shinji…" Misato sighed, taking the teen into her arms again, "Don't run off like that. Even here in the 'burbs, there are people who will hurt you if they catch you on the streets after dark."

"I know," Shinji said, his voice still soft and ashamed, "I just…I was angry. I didn't want to admit that I…"

Shinji broke down into tears. His knees started to give way under the burden of guilt and shame that he felt. His mind was still reeling from its earlier turmoil. Misato caught Shinji under his shoulders and held him up.

"Shinji," Misato whispered, "I still love you. I'm sorry for the way I acted today. I should have known that it would hurt you. What you saw today was a bad habit that I let myself get into after college. I used to hang out in bars and let guys try to pick me up. It was my way of dealing with the fact that I could never maintain a steady romance."

"You still…?" Shinji asked weakly, unable to believe what he was hearing.

"Yes," Misato replied enthusiastically, "I still love you more than anything, Shinji, and I don't want you to leave me."

"I don't want to leave, either, Misato," Shinji said, "But I'm afraid that I might have to."

"What do you mean, baby?"

"What I mean is," Shinji replied, "I think _I_ might have something to do with that beast that we saw on Kensuke's camera."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Misato stood in shock.

"You think…_you're_ connected to that _monster_?"

"I don't know how," Shinji said, "but I think I am, somehow. No…I _know_ I'm connected. I've been having dreams, Misato; been having 'em ever since I moved to this town. In the dreams, I'm running through the streets of L.A. I'm running fast, past street lights and sign posts. All of a sudden, I'll leap up into the air and land on the roof of a seven-story building. The past couple of nights, the dreams have been getting more real, and more frightening. I'll wake up smelling blood."

"Blood?" Misato repeated.

"Yeah, blood," Shinji said, "And even scarier is this: it smelled _good_. The smell made my mouth water. And just this morning, I woke up in the nude, when I remember falling into bed still wearing my jeans."

"Well, what if you took them off in the middle of the night?" Misato asked.

"I'd remember doing it," Shinji said, shaking his head, "I don't remember anything past falling into bed last night after I started feeling ill."

"Nothing?"

"Just the dream again," Shinji answered, "Only last night, it felt much more real than it ever had before. I remember that now. I could actually feel the air rushing by my face. I also remember seeing this cul-de-sac in my dream. While I was there, I could feel myself being watched… It's freaking me out."

"You're not the only one," Misato said, leading Shinji up to his bedroom, "Try to get some rest, okay? I'll stay with you—,"

"No!" Shinji interrupted, "No, Misato. I want you to, but no. If I _am_ somehow connected to that beast, I don't want to risk you getting hurt. Stay away from me at night until we sort this thing out."

"That will be hard," Misato said, her tone very worried, "How about just a quick one before I leave you for the night?"

"To let me apologize?"

"If that's the way you want it, master Shinji," Misato said, her voice now a seductive whisper. Then, she embraced Shinji passionately and kissed him.

Shinji and Misato had a round of passionate, almost _desperate_ sex. Shinji held out for as long as he could, trying to extend his closeness with Misato since he knew he'd be sleeping alone. Finally, of course, Shinji came, covering Misato's face in his seed. After the two of them caught their breath, Shinji looked at Misato and said:

"When you go over to your room, I want you to lock the entrances to your room so I can't get in. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Misato said reluctantly, "but I still wish you'd let me stay with you. If there _is_ something going on, I want to know what it is so I can help you."

"I know you do, pet," Shinji said fondly, "That's one of the things that I love the most about you. You're so willing to help, not just me, but everyone else as well. But if I'm connected to this thing; if it's following me or if…God help me…if it's _me_ that's this beast, I would be _devastated_ if I helped it harm you. Promise me that you will lock me out of your room."

Misato nodded. Then, she gave Shinji one more searing, passionate kiss and went through the bathroom. Shinji heard the door's lock click and knew that his love was safely separated from him. Shinji walked out onto his balcony and laid down on one of his lounge chairs. He stared at the stars, wondering what was going to happen to him.

Shinji caught a glimpse of the moon, still as full and luminous as it had been the night before. Suddenly, his troubles didn't seem as important as they had a few moments ago. He stretched his shoulders, suddenly feeling cramped in his own skin. Shinji scratched viciously at the back of his head.

_My whole body _itches_ all of a sudden!_ Shinji thought fitfully, _My skin feels rough…scaly. Wait…I'm getting hairy! The hair on my arms is getting thicker, and I know that it's no trick of the light! Oh, god… It's me… _I'm_ the werewolf!_

Shinji tried to cry out, but all that escaped his throat was a wailing, wolfish howl. Shinji put his hands up in front of his eyes. What he saw were not the hands that had, only a few minutes ago, been caressing his lover's body. What he saw were two large, hairy, paw-like hands that had long, sharp talons for nails. He put these claws up to his face and felt it.

Shinji didn't recognize himself. His face, normally a flat-ish, regular face with handsome human features, was now elongated into a canine muzzle. Shinji felt two tall, cone-shaped ears on the top of his head. After touching his face, Shinji began to overcome some of the initial shock of his startling transformation. He became more in-touch with his new, werewolf senses.

_What's that?_ Shinji thought, listening hard, _It sounds like a fan blowing. No, the sound keeps alternating between two pitches. It's…breathing! I can hear Misato breathing while she's sleeping in her room. My eyes have gotten better, too. I can still see each line in the bark of the oak tree in the yard, and it's pitch dark out here!_

Shinji's nose twitched. Shinji raised his head and swiveled it around like a radar dish, sniffing hard. There was something in the air, and it smelled good.

_What _is_ that?_ Shinji wondered, _It smells like…Rei! That's her perfume. I remember her scent from when we had sex. I wonder if I can track her by her scent? Hmm… First, I need to get off of this balcony. My arms and legs feel much stronger; maybe I can climb up onto the roof._

Shinji squatted down and tensed his legs, preparing to spring. A second later, he released the pressure of his powerful leg muscles. This massive surge of jump power propelled Shinji's seven-and-a-half foot tall, 350 pound form up and over the eaves of Misato's house and landed up squarely up on the shingles of the roof. Shinji lowered himself onto all fours and used his new claws for gripping power.

_I'd better be careful about these shingles,_ Shinji thought, _Misato will kill me if I tear her roof up._

So Shinji, with the utmost care and as much finesse as he could wrangle, crawled his way up to the top edge of the house roof and stood straddling the top. Shinji threw his head back and drew in a deep nose-full of the night air. It smelled so sweet and delicious to him. Shinji smelled so many scents; many were alien to him, but there were one or two that he recognized.

He smelled the chlorine of the swimming pool in the yard below him. He smelled the familiar, thick smell of diesel truck exhaust, and he smelled (actually _smelled_) the heat coming off of the tar on the road. Shinji picked and sorted carefully through all of the mass of smells until he found the one he was looking for: Rei. Shinji slowly rotated on the spot, trying to find his direction.

…There_ she is,_ Shinji thought. Then, he crouched down, preparing to leap again. Shinji sprang from Misato's roof and landed on the pavement with a muffled thump.

Shinji began to trot along upright on his hind legs, but began to stumble as he over-balanced. Shinji put his front limbs down onto the ground and settled into a gorilla-like gallop. Ungainly as he looked, Shinji felt that this was the fastest way that he could move over land and started to increase the rate of his lope, still following his nose. Shinji's nose led him to a light-blue ranch house approximately two blocks from Misato's, where the scent of Rei's perfume dead-ended.

_So, this is Rei's place,_ Shinji thought, _It's nice. I wonder what her parents do for a living. Wait, there's another smell. I've never smelled it before… Wait…yes, I have._

Images flashed through Shinji's mind. His brain rapidly blasted through each sense memory until he came to the one that matched the scent that he was picking up. He saw a man with dark-colored, almost lifeless-looking eyes with a scruffy, unshaven face and long, messy hair. This man had just been near him recently, Shinji had smelled him then.

_Kaji._

The hackles on the back of Shinji's broad neck rose at the thought of this man being anywhere near Rei's house. Shinji didn't know how much stealth he could accommodate as a werewolf, but he certainly didn't want Rei _or_ her family to hear or see him as a monster. The damage to their friendship might be irreparable. Shinji lowered himself to the ground and crept along on his belly underneath the windows, still following Kaji's scent.

After several long, slow minutes, Shinji reached the backside of the house, where he re-acquired the scent of Rei's perfume. The sweet smell seemed to be pouring out of a window that was open much wider than he considered wise in a big city's suburbs; _especially_ if the neighborhood was as bad after dark as Misato said it was. The next thing that Shinji noticed was that Kaji's scent was trailing up and into Rei's window.

_He broke into her room,_ Shinji thought, enraged, _I'll kill him._

Shinji poked his head over the sill of the window and peered into Rei's room. Immediately, he saw something was wrong. Rei was lying on the floor, seemingly asleep. Shinji wondered why she was on the floor when she was only a few feet from her bed. The next thing Shinji sensed was another smell; one that was familiar to him, and yet alien all at the same time: blood. Something was, indeed, _very_ wrong.

Shinji listened hard. He could hardly hear Rei's breathing. Even though she was asleep, he had been able to hear Misato's breathing through the walls of her house. Rei's breathing was faint, and even fainter was her heartbeat. She was dying; bleeding to death, and Shinji's werewolf frame was too large to fit through her window. Shinji, desperate and frustrated, could see only one option: tear out her window frame and part of the wall, causing large amounts of damage and noise.

_I have no choice,_ Shinji thought taking a hold of the window frame and preparing to pull, _Rei's dying. I won't let her die._

"It's sad, isn't it?"

Shinji turned around with a snarl. Standing behind him was Kaji. Shinji wondered why he hadn't heard, seen or sensed him approach in any other manner. Kaji wore a cunning smile on his face, as well as a tattered set of shop coveralls. Shinji narrowed his eyes at the man, raising his hackles and growling in what he hoped was a threatening way.

"Hmm, empty intimidation," Kaji said, shaking his head, "Sorry. Been there, done that, got nowhere; just like you. Wondering how I knew your weakness for her?"

Shinji continued to glare.

"I could _smell_ you on her," Kaji said, "Oh, yes; your scent was all _over_ her sweet flesh. I almost wish I hadn't had to rip her open. She's a pretty one. Did you have a good time with her?"

With a howl of rage, Shinji pounced at Kaji, intending to rip him to pieces. Kaji danced to one side, easily evading Shinji. Kaji stood laughing at Shinji.

"Still just a pup, aren't you boy?" he said, "You don't even have control over your transformations yet. Not like _I_ do."

With a growl and a snarl, Kaji's human form tore asunder and revealed a werewolf with grizzled, black fur. This made Shinji think that Kaji had been around for much longer as a werewolf, as his own coat was still relatively sleek in coloration.

"Now, have you figured out how to talk, or are you still that much of an infant?" Kaji mocked. To any human that might have been listening, Kaji's words would have only sounded like so many grunts, snarls, and barks, but Shinji understood him perfectly.

"I wonder," Shinji inquired, "Did you have a _reason_ for hurting Rei?"

"She was close to you, Ikari," Kaji replied, "That makes her an ideal candidate to show you how easy it is to act like a true werewolf."

"By doing what? Murdering an innocent girl?"

"If you only knew how _many_ 'innocent girls' I've slaughtered over my hundred and fifty years of life," Kaji said, "But you…you're an anomaly, even among our kind. I've sired many pups over my life. Each bite I gave that _didn't _tear someone's throat out gave me another pup. But that's just it; they were all sired by my venom. You _weren't_ sired by venom, though…_were_ you?"

"If you mean, 'was I bitten by a monster like you', then the answer's no," Shinji replied.

"Then you're a bornling," Kaji said with vicious excitement, "_That_ makes you quite the rarity, indeed."

"I'm a what?"

"A _bornling_, you foolish boy! One who was _born_ one of us!" Kaji snarled, "But you're still a rarity, even among bornlings."

"Because…a bornling…transforms for their whole life from birth," Shinji said, clarity dawning on him.

"Now you're catching on, boy," Kaji said with an evil, wolfish smile, "But you're new. I only sensed you for the first time last night. I scoped you out earlier this morning, memorized all of the scents around your house. Who knows? I might find my way back there later on to have a taste of that delicious-looking woman you live with. What's her name, again?"

"You expect me to tell you?" Shinji growled defensively.

"Not really," Kaji said indifferently, "Her name doesn't matter. After all: that which we call a woman, by any other name, will taste as sweet."

Shinji growled, preparing to throw himself at Kaji again. Suddenly, a thought occurred to him.

"This girl, Rei," he said, "Did you bite her?"

"Curious how it's done, are you?" Kaji asked, "Want to learn how to start siring your own pups? Or are you merely curious as to how you rip a throat out?"

"A bit of both, I suppose," Shinji said, trying to smooth-talk Kaji into telling him if Rei was bitten, and therefore envenomated.

"You're still a bit young to go around biting people, so how about I teach you something more useful?" Kaji asked.

"Such as?"

"How to manipulate your form at night," Kaji replied, "It usually takes a werewolf a fortnight's worth of transformations before he learns for _himself_ how, but you look like a bright boy, and I've always wanted a protégé. It all boils down to concentration. You've got to be able to look at the moon and resist the call of the wolf within you. After you've transformed, all you have to do is concentrate on the soft, human side of yourself. I actually like to stay a wolf at night. I like the feeling of power that being a beast gives me. It's a rush."

"So, all I have to do is concentrate on my humanity," Shinji repeated, "That sounds easy enough."

Shinji closed his eyes and concentrated on what he knew he looked like when he looked in the mirror. Shinji felt his skin shifting and his insides churning. He knew that he was changing, but he didn't remember his transformation being so uncomfortable. Shinji opened his eyes and looked down at his pale, hairless, perfectly human hands.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Shinji smiled as he looked at his hands. Then, he put his hands up to his face and felt his cheeks. He ran his hands all over his face, relishing the supple feel of his own skin. Kaji laughed triumphantly as he saw Shinji revert to human form. He reverted to his own human side and walked over to slap Shinji on the back.

"Excellent, Shinji!" he crowed, "You really _are_ a bright boy!"

"And you're really a _psychopath_!" Shinji snarled, slamming his fist as hard as he could into Kaji's face. The dark-haired man staggered and fell to the ground. Shinji's attack had caught him completely off his guard.

Shinji seized his opportunity. He leapt up and scrambled through Rei's window and into her room. As he reached Rei's limp form, he saw that she was lying in a pool of her own blood. Worse even than that, he saw that she was bleeding from a large bite wound in her neck. Shinji cursed himself for allowing her to be caught up in the middle of his problems. He checked Rei's pulse. It was almost gone.

_No time to be angry or scared now,_ Shinji thought, _I've got to get her to a hospital immediately!_

Shinji scooped Rei up into his arms and carried her out of her bedroom door. As soon as he was clear of the house, he surrendered to the wolf within. A werewolf's increased strength, speed, and stamina would be essential to getting Rei to emergency care as fast as possible. Holding Rei over his back with one hand, Shinji galloped as fast as his three remaining limbs would carry him.

A howl from behind him told Shinji that Kaji was hot on his trail. Shinji drove himself harder, knowing that even at his increased pace, Kaji would be able to catch up to them because he wasn't burdened by a friend's limp body. Shinji could feel Kaji gaining ground on them, even as he completed the 12 block dash that it was to reach the emergency room at the hospital. Shinji willed himself back to his human form as he reached the large, glass doors.

"Somebody help!" Shinji shouted frantically as he burst into the E.R.

"What's going on?" a nurse asked, rushing over.

"My friend…She's been…uh…attacked by a large dog," Shinji lied. The whole "werewolf" thing might not go over real well with the hospital staff.

"It looks like it got you, too," said the nurse, indicating Shinji's tattered pants and lack of shirt. They, of course, had ripped apart when he had transformed into a werewolf.

"I'm all right," Shinji said hastily, "Just please, save her! Her pulse is very faint; she's lost a lot of blood."

"Stretcher!" the nurse yelled. Two orderlies and a hospital stretcher emerged a scant few seconds later from behind a set of swinging double doors. Shinji set Rei tenderly down onto the stretcher and watched helplessly as they took her back; presumably to an operating room. Shinji was suddenly struck by a horrifying thought: Kaji hadn't followed them for the last two blocks before they reached the hospital. That meant he had taken another route, possibly even doubled back.

_Misato!_ Shinji thought, terrified, _No! Oh, god, _**NO**

Shinji turned and sprinted out of the hospital, knocking over two nurses in his frenzy. As he left, he heard them cursing him out. As Shinji left the parking lot, he released the wolf and galloped as fast as he could. His panic lent him speed and stamina.

_How could I have been so careless?! Please, god! _Please_ let me get there in time!_

Shinji dashed as fast as he could, feeling at times more like he was taking long jumps instead of running strides. His breath was coming in panting gasps as he reached the confines of his cul-de-sac. He came down the circle to his house and saw the door broken in. Shinji prayed that he wasn't too late. Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst, Shinji reverted to his human form. He noted in the back of his mind that the transformations were getting easier the more he did it.

"Misato!" Shinji screamed, "MISATO!"

Shinji heard a muffled scream come from the upstairs. He raced up to the second floor, knowing what he might find. Horrifying images of Misato's bloody, mangled body flashed before his frantic eyes as he charged down the hallway to Misato's bedroom. Shinji saw that her door had also been forced open. Shinji dashed through the door and found Kaji holding Misato up off of the floor by her throat. He was in werewolf form, and his fangs were poised, ready to bite into Misato's flesh.

"Let her go," Shinji said desperately, "Please. For God's sake, let her go and face me like a man-wolf!"

Kaji reverted to human form. As he did so, Shinji heard him chuckling harshly.

"What? Can't you make up your mind which woman you like more?" Kaji asked mockingly, "You deliver one to a hospital and then up and leave her there, unprotected, while you race off to check on another. What kind of boyfriend _are_ you?"

"The…best…" Misato gagged.

"Shut up," Kaji snarled, squeezing her throat tighter.

"I'll warn you one more time, Kaji," Shinji said dangerously, "Harm her in any way, and I _swear_ I'll kill you."

"That Ayanami girl was the only one I intended on killing," Kaji said, "Misato, here, is going to be my bride. After I bite her and mate with her, she will be the mother to all of the rest of my pups."

"Get…fucked…" Misato whispered weakly through her constricted windpipe.

"I _could_ just break your neck _now_ and get it over with," Kaji said threateningly, "What do you say, Shinji? Can you get to her before I kill her? How fast do you feel?"

"Just…kick…his ass," Misato gasped, "Don't…worry…'bout me."

"I can't," Shinji said, shaking his head, "He'll kill you. Kaji, how can you keep doing this? How do you live with yourself, threatening women and young girls all the time?"

"Is this the part where I get all teary-eyed and weak in the knees and drop my guard so you can sucker-punch me again?" Kaji laughed, "Ha! Not damned likely. I think I ought to just kill her and have done with it."

Kaji put his other hand up to Misato's head and gripped her, preparing to twist her head to snap her neck. Shinji tackled him hard. Misato landed hard on her shoulder and hit her head on the floor, knocking her out. Shinji howled with rage and transformed yet again. Kaji snarled and transformed with him.

Kaji kicked Shinji off of him and proceeded to drive himself into Shinji's abdomen. This collision threw the two of them through one of Misato's bedroom windows and down, two stories, into the yard. Shinji, adrenaline pumping, barely felt the impact. He rolled up, slashing at Kaji with his two-inch claws and drawing first blood from his torso. With a roar, Kaji sank his teeth into Shinji's shoulder, tearing a huge gash and causing blood to splatter all over the grass.

The two werewolves continued to rip and tear at each other, neither gaining any ground. In strength, they seemed to be equals at first. As the fight wore on, however, the one who would win the fight became more and more apparent. Kaji had viciousness and experience on his side. All Shinji had on his side were youth and the vigor that goes with it. Shinji felt his stamina waning. He pushed harder, trying desperately to make Kaji retreat or surrender. He would do neither.

Shinji felt his knees give way beneath him as he reverted to human form. His strength was gone, while Kaji's remained. He had pushed himself too far, too fast, and now Kaji had the upper hand. Shinji feared that his next breath would be his last.

Suddenly, there was a flash of metal and a fresh spray of blood. Kaji stood in shock for a moment, looking down at the knife that was now lodged in his chest. Then, with a howl, he fell over onto his back and lay still. The fur fell away from his body, leaving him human once more.

"Ikari…" he whispered weakly, "The answer lies…with father…"

And he was gone. The werewolf who had called himself Ryoji Kaji was dead. Shinji felt the last of his strength drain from him and lost consciousness. He awoke some hours later in the emergency wing of the same hospital that he had dropped Rei off in. Shinji tried to sit up, only to feel a strong wave of vertigo wash over him and force him to lie back down. They had sedated him.

"Shinji?"

It was Misato.

"Are you okay, Shinji?"

"M…'sato," Shinji mumbled thickly, "Y'r…okay…"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Misato said, taking Shinji's hand, "and the doctors say you're going to pull through, too."

"Rei…?" Shinji asked, "Is…she?"

"Still in the ICU in critical condition," Misato said gravely, "The doctors can't stop her bleeding. They don't understand what's wrong. They say that she may not make it to sunrise."

"This's…all…"

"It's _not_ your fault, Shinji," Misato said, suddenly very angry, "Don't say that it's _your damned fault_! If you start blaming yourself now, you won't ever _stop_!"

Misato broke down into heavy tears. Shinji tried to move his other arm. It wouldn't budge. His shoulder felt like the muscles had been severed all the way down to the bone. Shinji gritted his teeth and tried again to sit up. He fought through the vertigo and forced himself to his feet. Standing on wobbly legs, Shinji took the weeping Misato gently into a one-armed hug and held her close to his chest.

"As…my heart…beats…Misato," Shinji said slowly, trying to split his concentration enough to talk and stand steadily, "I'll…save…Rei. That's…a promise…"

With that, Shinji pulled the I.V. catheter out of his arm and stumbled out of the room. Misato seemed to come to her senses as soon as Shinji walked out of the door and scrambled after him. She tried to pull Shinji back into his room, but he refused to budge. Shinji didn't have the strength to transform, but he could still growl like a wolf, as was discovered by the first nurse that Shinji encountered.

"Where's Ayanami?" Shinji growled through gritted teeth.

"ICU, closed ward," the nurse mumbled, terrified, "You can't go in there."

With a grunt of frustration, Shinji released the nurse and started for the door. Two large, muscular orderlies in white suits confronted Shinji.

"All right, fella," one of them said calmly, "It's time for you to go back to your room and lie down, now."

"I don't think so," Shinji said, "Get out of my way, meat heads. I'm going home."

"You can't do that," the other orderly said, "Doctor's orders are for you to rest here until he gets back in the morning."

"Rei doesn't _have_ until morning," Shinji said, "If I can't find a way to save her in the next couple of hours, she'll _die_."

"Look, kid, the doctors are doing everything they can," the first orderly said, moving towards Shinji slowly, "Just go back to your room, and—,"

"Stow it!" Shinji shouted, "Get out of my _way_!"

Shinji threw himself into the orderlies. He could still feel the effects of the sedative making him weak, but his strength was still sufficient to knock the two suited men off-balance and slip past them. Shinji ran as fast as his watery legs could carry him, with Misato in hot pursuit.

"Shinji, wait!" Misato shouted as they entered the parking lot, "My car's _this_ way!"

"You're gonna help me?" Shinji asked.

"Can I do anything else?" Misato replied, "I love you, and I trust you to know what's best for Rei. If there _is_ anything that can be done, I know you'll move heaven and earth to do it, because that's the kind of man you are."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Me?" Kensuke asked, "You want _my_ help?"

"More like I _need_ your help, Kensuke," Shinji said, "And I need it badly. Rei will probably die if we can't figure out how to treat a werewolf bite in the next hour."

"Let's hit the databases," Kensuke said, instantly business-like.

Kensuke set Shinji up with a keyboard and set of three monitors, all hooked up to his own central mainframe unit. Apparently, Kensuke had built it himself and upgraded it every year as the latest technologies became available. Kensuke, too, had a keyboard and set of monitors. The two boys began a frantic, frenzied search of all of the occult databases that they could find on the web. Most of them were junk, and when they tried to verify the authenticity of the sources, they couldn't find anything.

"I think I've got something!" Shinji finally said; his voice triumphant.

"Let's hear it," said Kensuke.

"Listen to this," Shinji said, "_'According to the Council of Moonwatchers, a werewolf transforms into its animal form every night in the cycle of the moon. A werewolf's strength comes _from_ the moon; therefore it is at its peak of might during a full moon._'"

"Does it say anything about treating a bite?" Kensuke asked.

"Hang on," Shinji said, scanning rapidly through the article, "Let's see… '_To kill a werewolf, pierce its heart with silver…_' Uh… '_Werewolves are extremely bloodthirsty during their full moon nights…_' Aha! Here we go: '_There is only one known treatment for the bite of a werewolf. You must get another werewolf, one that has not spilled innocent blood by its own hand, to bite the victim in the same location. Next, that werewolf must spill its own blood upon the wound of the victim. This will neutralize the venom of the werewolf and prevent the victim from becoming a werewolf themselves._' That's it!"

"Yeah, but I don't think that there are any werewolves that _haven't_ spilled innocent blood, you know?"

"_I_ haven't," Shinji said, and dashed out of Kensuke's room without another word or backward glance.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Shinji finally felt strong enough to attempt a transformation, so he listened for the cry of the wolf in his mind. It was faint, due to the lateness of the nighttime hour. It was about one hour until dawn. Shinji transformed with an amount of difficulty, but he transformed nonetheless.

Not bothering with subtlety or secrecy this time, were-Shinji barged right through the hospital doors and straight for the E.R. Five orderlies attempted to stop Shinji, but he threw them easily to one side. He tried not to seriously injure them, but they were all knocked out cold as soon as they impacted the wall. Shinji wound his way through the halls until he reached the intensive care wards. From there, he followed his nose, tracking the scent of Rei's blood.

He came to the last room in the ward. Inside, Shinji found the blue-haired girl, surrounded by three doctors, one female and two male, and an odd number of nurses. Shinji burst through the door with a loud roar, scaring every person in the room out of their mind, and even causing Rei to emerge from her semi-conscious state for a brief moment. Shinji watched mute terror flash in Rei's eyes. It cut him deeply, but he couldn't waste time with self-pity. He could feel the werewolf slipping away from him as dawn approached.

"Everybody out of the room!" Misato ordered, coming into the room behind Shinji.

"And just _who_ do you think _you_ are?" the blonde, female doctor demanded indignantly. Shinji snarled and growled menacingly.

"I'm the only thing that's keeping him from tearing your throat out right now," Misato replied coolly, placing her hand on Shinji's shoulder. Shinji and Misato had quickly rehearsed this part in the car. She would act like Shinji's "keeper", and Shinji would play right along in the role of her "attack werewolf".

"Now," Misato continued, "does anyone _else_ feel like sticking around?"

All of the medical personnel that were present in the room evacuated faster than Shinji thought humanly possible. Shinji saw them off with a throaty howl for dramatic effect.

"Shinji, stop clowning and get down to it," Misato said seriously. Shinji nodded and crossed the room to Rei's bedside in two steps. Rei, weak as she was, still found the strength to try and shrink away from Shinji in fear. Misato took Rei's hand gently and held it.

"It's okay, Rei, he's not going to hurt you. That's actually _Shinji_, underneath all that fur."

Shinji gave Rei the kindest smile that his wolf fangs could emulate. Rei still cringed in fear.

"Just do it, Shinji," Misato said, "We'll explain it to her later."

Shinji reached down and gently gripped Rei's head, pulled it to one side, and pulled off the pressure bandages that were covering Rei's neck. Misato held Rei still as Shinji opened his jaws widely and clamped them around Rei's neck. He felt his fangs break through Rei's already damaged skin. Shinji felt her blood flow across his tongue.

Shinji pulled his fangs out of Rei's neck. Next, he used one of the sharp claws on his left hand to tear open the skin on his right hand. Shinji saw his blood, thick and red, flow out all over his palm. Shinji placed this bloody hand on the fresh wound he had made in Rei's neck. His acute sense of hearing picked up a faint hissing sound as his blood contacted Rei's and mingled with it.

Rei's eyes fluttered closed. The monitoring equipment that was attached to her gave off a steady tone. She had flat-lined. Shinji, in his shock, lost his tenuous grip on the werewolf within him. He looked at Rei's heart monitors in disbelief.

"We were…too late," he said, his voice muted by his disbelief. He was already on the verge of tears. An already shitty night had just gotten worse, "No. No…we _can't_ have been too late! Rei!"

Shinji took Rei's head between his hands and put his face down close to hers. As Misato watched, Shinji seemed to mumble something inaudible, and then put his forehead against hers. Tears rolled down the teen werewolf's face as his shoulders heaved with large sobs. Misato was almost to Shinji's side when he leapt up and raced out of the room.

Shinji raced to the stairwell and dashed up to the roof access. Up on the flat roof, Shinji collapsed into a heap and bawled. Sitting on his knees, Shinji looked up at the brightening sky and shouted:

"WHAT DID SHE DO TO DESERVE DEATH?! HUH?! WHY DIDN'T YOU FUCKING TAKE _**ME**_, INSTEAD?! Oh, god… Why did Rei have to die? WHY, GOD?! TELL ME _**WHY**_!!"

"No one can say for sure, Shinji."

It was Misato. She had followed Shinji, after telling the doctors that the monster was gone and that Rei had died.

"Why did she have to die?" Shinji asked again, pleading with Misato for an answer. His voice was choked by tears, and thickened by the fact that his nose was clogged with mucus. Shinji sniffed loudly. Misato walked towards him, intending to hold him and comfort him.

"I don't know, Shinji," Misato replied, "I _do_ know that it doesn't seem fair. I understand that feeling, I really do. It was the same way I felt when my grandmother died. I was only thirteen, and I was still convinced that my grandma would live forever. I thought that God hated me, and that _that_ was why he had taken my grandma away from me; to punish me.

"But look at it this way, Shinji," Misato continued, starting to cry a little, herself, "Rei was in a lot of pain when she died. You could see it on her face, couldn't you?"

"Y-…yes," Shinji hiccupped.

"Don't you think that a person who was in as much pain as Rei was deserved a release from that pain?"

"Yes," Shinji said softly, his head falling to his chest, "But she also died in terror, Misato. You didn't see the way she looked at me. She was horrified of me and she died before I could make things all right. I have to apologize to her!"

"Shinji, you can't. She's dead," Misato said, "You'll have to make your peace with her in heaven."

"Then I'll go and see her immediately!" Shinji said, suddenly animated. He jumped to his feet and dashed over to the edge of the roof. Misato tried to run towards him to pull him back, but Shinji held her at bay by saying:

"You take one more step towards me and I'll jump right now!"

Misato froze.

_Cut to Rei's hospital room_

The doctors that reentered Rei's room found no trace of the gigantic wolf that had menaced them a few minutes prior. What they found was a girl, lying in a hospital bed, with all her heart and breathing monitors flat-lined. They tried CPR and a defibrillator to revive her, but to no avail.

"All right," the lady doctor said gravely, "I'll call it in. What's the time?"

"6:32 am," one of the nurses answered, looking at her watch.

"Get her unhooked," one of the other doctors ordered.

If they had left the heart monitor hooked up to Rei for just another thirty seconds, they would have seen a weak, almost non-existent flutter begin. Any person, including a doctor, might have passed it off as nothing; merely a glitch in the machinery. What _wasn't_ a glitch, however, were the weak, shallow breaths that were beginning to make Rei's chest rise and fall. One of the nurses noticed Rei breathing and called for the doctors.

"She's breathing!" the nurse exclaimed, pointing to Rei as the doctors came dashing down the hallway, "Dr. Akagi, she's still alive!"

"That's…incredible…_impossible_," Dr. Akagi breathed as her colleague examined Rei.

"You want incredible?" the doctor who was examining Rei asked, "Well, get this: the wound on her neck is closing; fast, _impossibly_ fast! It's doing weeks of mending right before my eyes. Look!"

The other doctors and nurses crowded around the unconscious girl and watched as the wound on her neck got smaller and fainter. Finally, the wound that had once left over half of her neck open was reduced to nothing more than a faint scar on one side of her neck. Rei's breathing got deeper and steadier, until finally, her dusky, red eyes opened. She looked around at the group of gawking medical staff and asked:

"Where's Shinji?"

"Who, dear?" one of the nurses asked.

"He was the one who saved me and brought me here," Rei said, "Where is he? He has short, dark brown hair and blue eyes. His girlfriend Misato Katsuragi should be here with him. I remember seeing her here."

"The lady with the purple hair?" the lady doctor asked.

"Yes, that's her!" Rei exclaimed, sitting up, "Where are they? Do you know?"

"I saw a lady with purple hair head for the stairs leading to the roof," the third doctor, an older gentleman with gray hair said, "She was saying something about a Shinji being up there alone."

"Where are these stairs?" Rei asked urgently.

"Oh, no you don't," the second doctor said seriously, "You're not going _any_where until we've examined you thoroughly. We want to understand _why_ or even _how_ you're alive."

"There's no time for that now," Rei said, her voice still urgent, "I have to—,"

Rei was cut off by the sound of a bellowing voice. It sounded like the wrath of the Almighty, echoing through the normally quiet hospital corridors. Rei leapt out of her bed and pushed through the doctors. She knew the sound of Shinji's voice, and he sounded like he was in terrible pain.

Rei's legs were still shaky, but she wound her way through the hallways as fast as she could and started up the stairway to the roof. She reached the roof access door, panting and out of breath. She also felt light-headed from running up three flights of stairs in a weakened state. Rei took a moment to catch her breath before she pushed open the door. She saw Shinji dash to the edge of the roof. Misato followed him, but he shouted at her:

"Stay away or I'll jump right now!"

_Cut back to Shinji's perspective_

"Shinji, don't do it!"

Shinji looked across the roof, peering through the pre-dawn twilight to identify the speaker. Shinji looked aghast when he saw Rei, leaning on the doorway, still in her bloody hospital clothes.

"But…you're dead," Shinji said, looking at her in the kind of horrified disbelief that shows when someone sees a ghost, "I was in the room when you died! I saw it with my own eyes!"

"I'm not dead, Shinji," Rei said, walking out onto the roof, "Take my hand, feel my pulse. I'm alive!"

Shinji stood stock still, as though petrified. The blue-haired girl strode over to the ledge where Shinji stood and took his hand. Numbly, Shinji followed her gentle guidance until he was safely back on the roof. Suddenly, Shinji's equilibrium came back and he collapsed into Rei's arms, weeping uncontrollably.

"Rei, I'm so sorry," Shinji sobbed, "I'm sorry that I scared you like that. I'm sorry for even letting this happen to you in the first place. It's all my fault!"

"What do you mean, Shinji?" Rei asked. Shinji couldn't answer for how hard he was crying.

"Shinji's…" Misato began hesitantly, "He's…a werewolf…Rei."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"A werewolf?" Rei asked, "You mean like, you see a full moon, you turn into a raving, drooling—,"

"Hey!" Shinji interrupted, "I don't _drool_, okay? I'm in full control of myself at night."

"Sorry," said Rei, "But…a werewolf? When did reality become a science-fiction novel? How long have you been…?"

"A monster?" Shinji asked, his tone level, "Rei…God, how can I even _begin_ to explain this?"

"How about the truth?" Rei said.

"The truth," Shinji said quietly, "What a terrible thing it is. The truth is: I've been a werewolf for…my whole life, I guess."

"Then, you've been turning into a wolf for--?"

"Just a couple of days," Shinji said, "Since I turned 18."

"But you said that you've been a werewolf for your whole life," Rei said, confused, "Does that mean you've just not been transforming?"

"It's hard to explain," Shinji said, feeling frustrated, "Especially when you don't really understand it, yourself. What I _do_ know is that I'm a type of werewolf called a 'bornling'. But even that's not a full definition of what I am, since most bornlings transform from birth for their whole lives. I'm…special, for lack of a better word. I was told by another werewolf, who tried to _kill_ us, that I'm an anomaly among werewolves."

"That one that tried to kill us was the one that attacked you, Rei," Misato chimed in.

"I remember him," Rei said, "He snuck into my room last night through my window. At first, I thought it might have been Shinji, sneaking in to see me. I know that you and Misato are seeing each other, Shinji, but…you know…a girl can _hope_…"

Rei added the last part and blushed furiously. After an awkward pause, Rei continued:

"Anyway, when I turned on my bedside lamp, it wasn't Shinji. It was some guy with long, brown hair and a scruffy face. He grabbed me by the arm and dragged me out of bed, saying: 'Let's see how long it takes Ikari to find you.' Then, he turned into this giant, hairy beast and bit me in the throat. Oh, god, I can still feel his fangs in my neck!"

Rei's hand shot to her throat and her eyes widened. She shook with terror at the memory of her attack. Shinji pulled Rei into his arms and held the shaking girl close. Misato, too, put her arms around Rei and Shinji and joined in the group hug. Rei actually cried a little bit before composing herself. She huddled closely in Shinji's embrace, feeling very safe while she was so near him. Eventually, Shinji released her and instead stood very close to her.

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"Before waking up in the hospital?" Rei asked, "All I remember is seeing another giant wolf standing over me, and hearing someone saying that it was _you_ under all of the fur. I guess they were right. And the more I think about it, the more I'm realizing that it _was_ you, Shinji. The werewolf's fur was the same color as your hair, and when I looked into its eyes, they were the same deep shade of blue that yours are."

"Yeah, it was me," said Shinji, "I came back to try and save you. The wound in your neck that Kaji inflicted, it wouldn't stop bleeding. The doctors didn't know what to do. I went to Kensuke's house and did some research on the 'Net and found a cure for werewolf bites. That's why I let you see my werewolf side. I had to bite your neck in the same spot that Kaji did, and then I had to mix my blood into yours. After I did that, your monitors flat-lined. You died, Rei, and I thought that it was because of what I did."

"And _that's_ why you were going to jump off of the roof?" Rei asked, "Because you felt guilty about me?"

"I wanted to apologize to you in person, Rei," Shinji said quietly, "Although, now that I think about it, I feel really stupid for trying it. I would have broken Misato's heart for my own selfish reasons. How _did_ you survive, anyway?"

"I didn't know that I died," Rei replied, "I had a dream that I was floating, naked, on a red ocean in a small boat. The longer I sat, the lower into the water the boat sank until I was treading water in a sea that stank like blood. All of a sudden, this giant, tentacled _thing_ emerged from the sea and wrapped one of its slimy limbs around my leg and pulled me up out of the water. The thing threw me through the air. I landed hard back into the water and sank down deeply under the surface. I swam back towards the surface, but I got some of the water in my mouth, and it tasted like blood. It made me want to throw up. Before I reached the surface, I felt another of the monster's tentacles grab me around the waist and hold me under. I tasted the blood; filling my mouth and running down my throat into my lungs. Suddenly, I felt myself lying on a white-sand beach. The tentacle creature was dead, floating in a puddle some feet away. I was being helped to my feet by a large wolf. It smiled at me. As the wolf pulled me to my feet, everything faded to white. I woke up soon after that, and the first thing I could think of was finding you, Shinji. And so, here I am."

"Yes, here you are," Shinji repeated.

"We should head back inside before the hospital's security staff starts looking for us," said Misato.

"Yeah," Rei said reluctantly, "well. That means I have to let all of those doctors do all of the tests that they want to do on me. Apparently, they're as interested in why I'm alive as _you_ are, Shinji."

_The doctors can say what they like, but I _know_ that the reason Rei's alive can't be explained by conventional medicine,_ Shinji thought, _I'd better put in a call for some more research._

As the trio walked back down to the ICU ward, Shinji pulled out his cell phone and made a quick call to Kensuke.

"Kensuke? Yeah, this is Shinji. Sorry this is so early, but I need some more research done. Uh-huh. Yeah, could you look up the same cure for werewolf bites that we found a little while ago and cross-reference it with side-effects and reactions to the treatment? When you find it, bring a hard copy over to the hospital and find me in the waiting room. Thanks."

Shinji hung up his phone. By this time, the trio had reached the lower floors and found the trio of doctors waiting impatiently. Rei looked back at Shinji. Then, with a great deal of reluctance, she walked over to the doctors and said:

"Do you still want to run those tests?"

"We certainly do," said the older doctor, "if you'll follow us this way, dear."

"Misato, could you go with her?" Shinji asked, "I'm sorta waiting for someone to show up."

"Shinji, please?" Rei pleaded, "I want _you_ to come with me."

"I can't Rei, I'm sorry," Shinji said, looking her in the eyes apologetically, "I'm waiting on some information from Kensuke, and I said I'd meet him in the waiting room."

"Come on, Rei," Misato said motherly, "We'll be fine without him. I'm sure this won't take _too_ terribly long."

Rei allowed Misato to steer her down the hall. While she walked, though, Rei had her eyes fixed resolutely on Shinji. Shinji did his best to look reassuring and nodded in a confident manner. Rei finally turned away and walked down the hallway. Shinji shook his head, a melancholy feeling descending on him. Then, he turned and walked out to the hospital's waiting room. Twenty minutes later, Shinji saw Kensuke walk through the hospital doors and got up to meet him.

"Did you get it?" Shinji asked, "The information I asked you for?"

"Don't I always deliver?" Kensuke asked, a smug smile crossing his features.

"Yeah, you're like the mailman," Shinji joked dryly, "Let's see what you got."

"There wasn't much," Kensuke admitted, handing Shinji ten pages of computer print-outs.

"This is all you were able to find?" Shinji asked, dumbstruck.

"After sorting through all the layers of bullshit that was masquerading as information, yes," Kensuke replied, "Sorry, man, but there just _isn't_ all that much real information out there about werewolves. I don't even see why this is so important to you, anyway. I mean what; did Rei get bitten by one or something?"

"Yeah, she did," Shinji said seriously, "It damn near killed her. That's why I needed information on a cure in the first place. There was something in the werewolf's saliva that kept her wound bleeding. Any longer, and she would have bled to death, despite the doctors' efforts."

"Wow, heavy," Kensuke sighed, "Well, I hope there's something in there that will help you. Is Rei all right?"

"She's fine," Shinji replied, "For a little while, there, I thought she wouldn't make it. But she pulled through. The doctors are examining her right now to make sure she's all right."

Shinji hated to lie to Kensuke like that, but he couldn't risk more rumors leaking around the neighborhood about what happened that night. There was too great a chance that there would be others, like Kaji, who wished to harm either Shinji or those closest to him.

"So, this is all that there was," Shinji said thoughtfully, scanning through the papers, "Yeah. It starts with the article that I read to find the cure, and it expands from there. Hmm…here's something. '_The victim of the werewolf bite, depending on their condition at the time the treatment is administered, may react in different ways_. _Though the treatment is the only effective way to neutralize the effects of werewolf venom, the treatment is a shock to the system of the person receiving it. If the bite victim is treated quickly, they will only lose consciousness for a short time. But, the more time that elapses, the more severe the shock to the victim's system will be. For example: if the victim is nearer death than life, the victim's vital signs may disappear for a short time.'_"

_Well,_ Shinji thought, _that explains a lot._

"Thanks again, Kensuke," said Shinji, shaking hands with the sandy-haired boy.

"No problem," said Kensuke, "After all, this _is_ my calling in life."

Kensuke turned and walked out of the hospital doors. A few minutes later, Misato and Rei came walking down the hall and found Shinji. Rei and Misato were giggling about something. Shinji raised a questioning eyebrow, only to be met with Misato waving her hand as if to say "it's nothing important".

"So," Shinji said, "the M.D.s are all through poking and prodding, are they?"

"Yeah," said Rei, "Can we go home, now? I'm bushed, and I'm sick of these hospital pajamas."

"My car's right outside," Misato said, "How fast do you think I can get us back to the cul-de-sac?"

Shinji knew better than to answer Misato. If either he or Rei answered the question, Misato would take it as a challenge. Rei seemed reluctant to answer as well. Clearly, she knew of Misato's driving habits, too. Unfortunately, neither one of the two teens had to answer Misato to learn just how fast she could get to the cul-de-sac. The two teens tumbled out of the car, shaking from head to foot. Misato had gone from the hospital to Rei's house in less than three minutes; a trip that should normally have taken nearly _ten_ minutes, travelling the speed limit.

"You want to ride back to the house, Shinji?" Misato asked.

"No!" Shinji said frantically, "I think I, uh…I think I'll walk."

"Okay," Misato said playfully, "but it'll take you a lot longer to get there than if you rode with me."

"Yeah, but at least I'd get there in one piece with the contents of my stomach still intact," Shinji muttered. Rei, who was much closer to Shinji than Misato was, heard what he said and giggled. She agreed with Shinji. It was much better to walk slowly than risk a heart attack riding with Misato. Misato sped off, leaving Shinji standing with Rei at her door.

"Well, I guess this is good night," Rei said awkwardly.

"Even though it's now technically _morning_," Shinji pointed out.

"Oh, shoot, that's right!" Rei gasped, "I've got to get back into my room before mom and dad wake up, and that will be soon! See you later, Shinji. Thanks again for saving me!"

Shinji, before he realized what was happening, felt Rei's lips find purchase against his own. And in the short time it took Shinji to register that she was kissing him, Rei broke away and slipped inside her house. This left Shinji standing on the sidewalk in the breaking dawn light feeling very confused about his feelings towards a certain blue-haired vixen. As Shinji walked towards the house he shared with Misato, he ran it over in his mind.

_I thought Rei and I agreed that we couldn't be together at this particular time,_ Shinji thought, _and yet, here she is making eyes at me still, and kissing me when Misato's not around to see. Does this mean that she still has feelings for me? Well, obviously it does. But why didn't she just come out and tell me that she still loved me? Women! Men will _never_ be able to understand them. I know _I_ sure as hell don't!_


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Disclaimer: _I don't own anything related to Eva, nor do I ever expect to. So please don't sue me!_

A ten-minute walk saw Shinji back at his own residence. By now, the stresses of the previous evening were beginning to exact their toll on Shinji. His arms and legs felt like they had lead weights attached to them. It took all his energy just to lift one foot and place it in front of the other. Misato met him at the door.

"Hey, _there's_ my loveable werewolf," she said cheerfully. Shinji smiled tiredly.

"Hi, Misato. I'm going to bed," Shinji yawned, beginning to drag himself up the stairs.

"I'll be here for another couple of hours," Misato said, walking upstairs with Shinji, "then, I have to go in to the office for a couple of hours to finish a couple of things up."

"I'll probably still be asleep when you get home," said Shinji, "The way I feel right now, I feel like I could sleep for a week."

"You still look like you got run over by a truck," Misato remarked, indicating Shinji's cut, bleeding, and bruised features.

"I'll clean up after I sleep for a few hours," Shinji promised, "Right now, I'd fall asleep in the shower and drown. That would certainly put a _damper_ on any plans you might have for me."

Shinji's normally dry sense of humor was pushed to the Sahara extreme by his exhaustion, but he still managed to make Misato chuckle. Shinji managed another weak smile as he stumbled into his room. The trip up the stairs had used up his last reserves of energy. Shinji had to lean heavily on Misato just to cross the fifteen feet of space between his doorway and his bed. Once Shinji was in a lying-down position, he was unconscious. Misato smiled in an almost motherly fashion as she looked down at her lover.

_He gives so much,_ Misato thought, _I don't know how he managed to last through that fight. Now that I think about it, who _did_ throw that knife that killed Kaji? I saw the guy die, but when I got home this morning, the body was gone, and so was the knife. There's something awfully funny going on around here._

Misato gave it some more thought as she took a quick shower. As soon as she reached her office, however, her thoughts were on the little columns of numbers that it was her job to keep track of.

Shinji passed through hour after hour of dreamless sleep. When he finally started to dream, it began as the same one that he had been having for nearly a week. He was running through city streets at night, under a full moon. He leapt up onto the roof of a seven-story building and stood, seemingly looking at something.

_I've seen all of this before,_ Shinji thought, becoming aware that he was dreaming, _But what happens now?_

Shinji looked and saw the rest of his dream. The only trouble was, he seemed to be looking at it through beer-goggles; everything was blurry and out of focus. Shinji thought he was looking at another werewolf. The size, shape and build of the body were correct, but Shinji couldn't discern any definitive features like eye color, fang length, or body markings. This new werewolf seemed to be holding something over its head; something that vaguely resembled a body.

_I keep seeing these damned visions_, Shinji thought, frustrated, _What do they mean? Am I the one holding the body? Or am I seeing things from my own point of view? What does this all _mean

Answers were not forthcoming. Shinji watched the dream fade with a large sense of frustration. He rolled over and looked at his bedside clock. It read 2:30 pm. Shinji could barely believe it.

"I've slept through most of the day," he mumbled, "Think I'll sleep through most of the rest of it."

Shinji yawned, rolled over and closed his eyes again. When he turned sleepily back over and glanced at his clock again, it read 6:30 pm.

_I suppose I should _try_ to drag my ass out of bed to get cleaned up and maybe eat something,_ Shinji thought sleepily, _These covers are too warm and comfortable, though. I really don't feel like getting up._

All choice was removed from Shinji when Misato came into his room and sat down on the bed.

"Have you been sleeping all day?" she asked.

"Just most of it," Shinji mumbled, rolling over.

"You haven't gotten into the shower at all?"

"No, why?" Shinji asked.

"Because your face looks…better," Misato replied, "Are you sure you didn't clean up?"

"I haven't moved from this bed," Shinji insisted, "Although, now that _you're_ home, Misato, I suppose I _might_ be convinced to get up and do something."

_Like, for instance…_you Shinji finished mentally.

Shinji stretched and yawned, and then rolled himself out of bed. His legs felt horribly stiff from lying down for so long, and Shinji was forced to walk rather like the Frankenstein monster. Shinji realized how ridiculous he looked and played up the role of Frankenstein.

"Hurrmmm," Shinji groaned, "_Hurrmmm!_"

"Oh, Shinji, knock it off," Misato giggled, "You're too _hot_ to be a monster."

"I'm a werewolf, remember?" Shinji said.

"That doesn't automatically make you a monster," Misato protested, "I mean, look at what you did last night. You risked your life to fight for my safety. You bled yourself to save Rei. For crying out loud, you risked riding with me on empty roads!"

"You _do_ seem to get a touch of speed demonika when you're the only car on the road," Shinji observed, squatting and stretching his knees.

"I'm sorry," Misato grinned sheepishly, "How about a shower? I'll scrub your back and make it up to you."

Shinji smiled devilishly.

In a few minutes, Shinji was standing under the steamy water, rinsing away the dried, caked blood from his skin and hair. Misato stood behind him in the shower, shamelessly ogling her boyfriend's wet body. Occasionally, she would reach up and gently wipe away a spot of blood that Shinji missed, but other than that, she tried to keep her hands to herself and be a good girl; much as she _hated_ doing that. She would have much rather had her hands all over Shinji's torso and crotch, stroking and rubbing his steely length as she begged him to put it inside of her soaked love canal. Shinji turned off the water, breathed a deep sigh, and turned around to face Misato.

"Well?" he asked, "How do I look?"

Misato was amazed.

"You've almost completely healed!" she exclaimed, "To anyone who didn't know you were almost torn apart by a werewolf, you'd look like you only lost an argument with a bramble patch. How the hell did you heal so fast?"

"No idea," Shinji shrugged, "It must be a part of my new werewolf metabolism; accelerated healing. I guess all I need to heal is a good rest."

"Are you sure you don't need a _little_ bit of nursing care?" Misato asked playfully, stepping in close and tracing her fingers over Shinji's torso, "I mean, surely the pain can't be _all_ gone yet?"

"You know," Shinji growled sensuously, catching Misato's not-too-subtle hint, "My ribs _do_ still kind of ache a little bit…"

"Is that so?" Misato asked, her face and voice full of playful, mock concern, "Well, maybe you should get back in bed and lie down for another hour or two with me. I'll _try_ to be gentle…"

"Don't go to any trouble on my account," Shinji protested, "I know you like it rough."

Misato purred with arousal at the mention of "rough". Shinji swept Misato up into his arms and carried her back into his bedroom. Once they were there, Shinji realized that they were both still wet. He really didn't feel like dealing with any wet bed sheets, so he turned to Misato and said:

"Misato, go back into the bathroom and bring me a towel."

"Yes, master," Misato purred. Shinji smiled with satisfaction. Misato's pledge of servitude wasn't just a birthday present, meant for only his birthday. She really intended to keep playing his slave.

Misato returned a few moments later carrying Shinji's towel. She handed it to him and waited while Shinji dried off. Then, Shinji threw the towel back to Misato, saying:

"Dry off. I don't want you to get my sheets all wet."

Misato quickly obeyed, dragging the towel over her soft skin and through her hair. Once she had dried herself to Shinji's satisfaction, Shinji grabbed her by the arm and threw her down onto his bed. Misato gasped with pleasure at Shinji's show of brute force and dominance.

"Ooo, master," she cooed, "You're being extra _harsh_ today."

"And you're going to love every minute of it, aren't you, slave?" Shinji growled. Misato nodded meekly.

With that, Shinji grabbed Misato and pulled her around until she was on her hands and knees presenting her rear to her master. Without any kind of preliminaries, Shinji drove his rampant manhood deep into Misato's pussy. Misato arched her back with sudden ecstasy and tried to take her master even deeper. Shinji built up to a hard pace, slamming his hips against Misato's plush ass. In a matter of no time at all, Misato screamed:

"I'm cumming, Shinji! I'm—EEIIAAAHH!"

Shinji wasn't far behind her. About a minute later, he pulled himself out of Misato's spent womanhood and pushed her over onto her back. He gripped his twitching shaft in one hand and jerked himself all over Misato's perky tits, exclaiming wildly as he came. Once he had finished, Shinji collapsed onto the bed next to Misato and lay there for a couple of minutes, catching his breath. When he finally spoke, his words were ones of amazement.

"God," he panted, "I didn't even realize that I was that horny. It's just something, I guess. Maybe the last of the tension from yesterday is finally releasing itself from my system."

"Maybe," Misato sighed, "Mmm…I don't know how you manage to keep up such a rigorous pace with me. I've never been with _anybody_ who treated me so right before. How do you do it?"

"I'm just lucky, I guess," Shinji replied, "Misato?"

"What's up, Shinji?" Misato replied.

"I love you."

"I love you, too, Shinji," Misato replied, moving up to kiss her boyfriend.

The two of them lay there for another twenty minutes in each other's arms. Then, finally, Shinji's hunger started to get the best of him and he and Misato went downstairs to rustle up a late dinner. Misato, to Shinji's _great_ surprise, pulled out a large flank steak and fired up the grill. He was only in a pair of boxers, and she was wearing nothing but a bra and pair of skimpy panties and a cooking apron. Shinji couldn't believe how shameless he and his lady were acting. He suddenly felt very silly.

_What if someone were to happen in on us?_ thought Shinji incredulously, _I mean, sure, it's fun and all; being almost naked in our own house. But suppose an unexpected visitor came over, like Rei, or Kensuke, or Toji, or one of the other neighbors? What would any of _them_ think? Probably that we're shameless, disgusting, perverts. Ahh, who am I kidding? I don't really give a rat's ass, as long as I get to see more of Misato's perfect body._

Shinji smiled as Misato continued to move around and flaunt her body for him. She noticed Shinji smiling and returned the grin, prompting Shinji to grin wider, and then start laughing. The two of them started laughing happily and actually tickling each other while they waited for the steak to finish grilling.

"EEK! Not the ribs!" Misato squealed as Shinji poked her in the sides, "My sides are too ticklish! Stop! EEEK!!"

Shinji laughed maniacally as he tortured Misato. Despite her best attempts, Misato was unable to gain the upper hand on the more aggressive boy who was tickling her unmercifully. She was saved by the sound of the timer going off, signaling that the steak was done. Shinji released Misato and skewered the steak from the grill and dropped it on a platter.

After a hastily eaten meal (Shinji was so hungry that he nearly inhaled his food), Shinji found himself feeling very sleepy again. He yawned widely and told Misato that he was going back up to bed. Misato looked concerned.

"What's wrong?" Shinji asked.

"What if you transform while you're asleep?" Misato said, "Will you stay asleep, or will the wolf take over?"

"I don't know," said Shinji, "but I can't switch to a nocturnal lifestyle. It's just not in me. For one thing, you and I would never have any time together. You've got to work during the day, and I would be forced to sleep then. Then, when I'm just getting up, you'd need to be going to sleep. When we would actually have any time together, one or the other of us would be too tired to fully enjoy it. Don't you see? I have to risk sleeping at night."

"Okay," said Misato reluctantly, "but I'm staying with you tonight."

"No," Shinji said sternly.

"Don't you even _try_ to give me the 'I'm too unpredictable and dangerous' speech, because it's not gonna work this time," Misato said fiercely, "You've been trying to handle this whole werewolf issue by yourself since it started. Don't you think that it's about time that you asked for a little bit of help and support? _Especially_ when the person who _wants_ to help you loves you more than anything else is this world?"

Shinji stood in silence, shocked by his lover's brave words. He ran the risk of causing her serious injury if he let her stay in his room with him while he slept and possibly lost control of himself. However, Shinji ran the risk of doing her worse harm to their relationship by pushing her away again. Shinji knew that he now faced one of the most difficult decisions of his life. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

A.N.: _For those of you who read my stuff and hate the cliff-hanger endings that I leave at the ends of my chapters, I say: They're just put there to add dramatic effect and make sure that you want to keep reading. Thank you for your understanding. Please keep reading!_


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Shinji lay in bed a few minutes later. Misato was beside him. Shinji, as tired as he was, was now reluctant to fall asleep. Shinji was still human, even though the sun had set, but he feared the possibility of a somnambulant transformation. However, a thought occurred to him.

"Misato? Are you still awake?"

No reply. Misato must have fallen asleep. Good, thought Shinji, that might make his job a little easier. Shinji carefully extracted himself from Misato's arms and slid slowly out of bed. Not bothering with any kind of heavier clothing, Shinji crept downstairs in his boxers and made his way to Misato's den office. He knew that Misato had a computer there, and he knew what he needed to find.

As he powered up the computer, Shinji realized that a smart woman like Misato was bound to have a log-in password. Now it was a matter of guessing what she used. The password screen came up. Shinji began to ponder.

_What would you use, Misato?_ he thought, _What easy to remember phrase would you use to safeguard your home computer? Hmm…let's start simple. Try… "shinji". No joy. Okay…how about…"alpine"? Still no._

"Damn," Shinji muttered, "What would Misato use for a password?"

"I'd use 'wolfsbane'," came the reply from behind him. Shinji turned around quickly. There stood Misato, wearing nothing but the tiny nightie that she had just bought to wear to bed.

"You left," Misato said simply, walking across the room to the desk, "I was worried."

"I had a thought," Shinji replied, "and I wanted to research it."

"Oh."

Shinji entered the password that Misato had given him. Sure enough, a few seconds later Shinji found himself looking at Misato's desktop. Shinji smirked. Misato had Windows XP. Shinji accessed the Internet and looked up the files on werewolves. He wasn't sure what else he might find in said files, but he hoped that it would answer his questions.

"So, what _are_ you looking for, Shinji?" Misato asked.

"Answers," Shinji replied simply.

"Well, _that's_ nice and vague," quipped Misato sarcastically, "What _kind_ of answers?"

"Important ones," Shinji answered, still focusing his attention on the screen.

"About your transformations?"

Shinji nodded.

"About how to control them while you're asleep?"

Shinji shook his head.

"Well _what_, then?" Misato asked.

"I'll know it when I find it," Shinji said bluntly, "Now please, Misato. Let me work."

"Sorry," said Misato grudgingly. She sat in a chair on the other side of the room and pouted while Shinji scanned intently through web page after web page of information on everything from basic werewolf anatomy to the history and folk lore surrounding werewolves.

"Come on," Shinji mumbled, frustrated, "give me something I can work with, here…"

Shinji delved deeper into the Moonwatcher's Council's files, looking for any relevant information on recorded transformation patterns of werewolves. He found precious little that he had not already read. He re-read that the transformations take place every night and that the strength of the beast within him follows the cycle of the moon. Other than that, most of what the files from the so-called Council contained was information on how to contain, capture, or kill a werewolf. This made Shinji very unhappy, as it meant that his…condition…was not one that was generally accepted by those who knew about it.

"Damn it," Shinji muttered angrily, "Who _are_ these so-called _Moonwatchers_,anyway? Maybe I should search them first."

"Shinji--," Misato began.

"Not now, sweetheart, I'm working," Shinji said briskly, cutting her off.

"You're working too _hard_," said Misato, getting up and walking over to Shinji. She wrapped her arms around Shinji's neck from behind and said softly in his ear, "You need to learn to relax a little more."

"Maybe you're right," Shinji sighed, leaning back into Misato's embrace. Then, he sat upright, as though jerked on a string, and said: "No. I have to figure this out, and it has to be done now. Why don't you go back up to bed, Misato? There's no sense in _both_ of us staying up all night."

"I'm not going to leave you here alone," Misato protested, "I said I was going to stick with you, and I _meant_ it."

"What did I do right to deserve such a great girlfriend?" Shinji asked, turning around to kiss Misato.

"Must have been something pretty good," Misato purred.

"Must have been," Shinji agreed, "But if you're going to stick around down here, go and put a robe on. I don't want you to get cold."

"I'll bring you one, too," Misato said, beginning to leave the room, "You're wearing about as much as I am."

"Mmm," Shinji hummed neutrally, returning his attention to the screen in front of him. Misato walked upstairs to fetch the robes.

Shinji ran a new search, concentrating solely on the Moonwatcher's Council this time. His results came up with one hit. Shinji clicked on the link. He came to a very arcane-looking website that bore the name of the society and contained very artistically crafted text.

"So, they exist," Shinji muttered with satisfaction, "Now, where are they based?"

Shinji scrolled through the page's links and pathways. He chuckled with disbelief when he saw a link that said "_Join the Council, click here"_. He didn't find much about an exact base location, but he found a profile page featuring the Council's founding members. Shinji smiled triumphantly.

"About damn time," Shinji sighed, "Let's see who we've got here."

Shinji began to scan through the profiles. He read about people from places like Wales, Dublin, and even as far east as Moscow. Every now and then he would stop on one person and read more in-depth about their profile. Finally, Shinji found the person who was labeled as the "Founder of the Council". Shinji printed the profile for later reference.

"Anything new?" Misato asked, walking back into the den. She now had on her pink bathrobe and was carrying a robe for Shinji.

"It doesn't say about where the Council's based," Shinji said, "However, judging by the profiles of the founding members, I'd say that the Moonwatchers are based somewhere in eastern Europe, possibly near Romania or the surrounding area."

Just then, a message window opened on the computer screen. In an eerie, green script, it displayed the question: _Who are you, that you dare pry into the Council's files?_

"What's that?" Misato asked, shocked.

"Probably just a glitch rigged by the programmers to come up on the screen," Shinji chuckled, "It's nothing to worry about."

The message on the screen changed. As though someone were typing it, the green letters wrote out: _Perhaps you SHOULD worry, werewolf. We know all about you._

"Shinji…" Misato said hesitantly. She was starting to get scared.

"Okay, now this is starting to freak me out," said Shinji, "I think it's time we went back up to bed."

_No. Remain,_ the message screen read, _What would you like to learn?_

"And now, suddenly it's being helpful?" Shinji asked incredulously.

_All right,_ Shinji typed into the message box, his text appearing red below the green, _you're on. Let's chat._

_Very well, werewolf. What is your question?_

_I have several questions,_ Shinji typed, _The first of which is this: how are you talking to me now?_

_We use a combination of hacking technology and simple magic spells to isolate the return signal and trace it back to its home computer,_ the screen responded, _the magic allowed us to hear your comments and respond to them._

_Who are you?_ Shinji queried.

_I'm not at liberty to reveal that to you,_ the stranger replied, _All that I may say to you is that I am connected with the Moonwatcher's High Council, the leaders of our Order._

_What if I should like to confer with you all face-to-face?_ Shinji asked.

_You would be killed on sight, most likely,_ read the computer message, _You are a werewolf, are you not?_

_I may be,_ Shinji lied, _Then again, I may just be someone curious about your history._

_You don't fool me, werewolf,_ read the screen, _What answers do you seek? I grow bored of conferring with you._

"Well, isn't _he _just the rude one," Misato muttered.

"Shh," said Shinji, turning briefly. Then, he turned back to the screen and typed: _Is it possible for me to stay human while I sleep at night?_

_Except during the full moon, yes,_ the stranger on the screen replied, _During a full moon, unless you exert conscious effort, you will transform into a beast._

_What about somnambulance while transformed?_ Shinji asked.

_It's possible, but has never been or observed in the specimens that we've kept alive for study._

_Thank you,_ Shinji said, _You've been very helpful._

_Don't visit our site too often, werewolf,_ the screen warned, _We might consider it a threatening gesture and track you down to kill you._

The message screen disappeared.

"Why that cheeky, miserable bastard," Shinji swore, "He just threatened us."

"Yes," said Misato, "but he told us what we needed to know, didn't he?"

"I suppose," Shinji said cautiously, "but what if he was lying?"

"I'll stay awake just long enough to see if you transform after you fall asleep," Misato suggested, "If you do, we'll know that he was lying. How's that sound?"

"Sounds risky," Shinji said honestly.

"This whole thing has been risky from day one," Misato pointed out, "Why should it get any better now?"

"Good point," Shinji conceded, "All right, let's give it a shot."

Misato nodded. Shinji shut down Misato's computer and followed her back up to his bedroom. Misato had effectively moved herself into Shinji's bedroom, since he had the larger bed that could fit two. After a suitably snuggly cuddle goodnight, Shinji surrendered to the sleep that had been trying to claim him for the last two hours. Misato sat up in bed and watched him carefully. After Shinji had been asleep for a full twenty minutes, he still looked no more hairy than he normally did.

_That'll make him happy to hear tomorrow,_ Misato thought. Then, she curled up against Shinji and fell to sleep herself.


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

**I don't own any of the Eva characters. They belong to GAINAX**

The following morning found Shinji feeling rested and fully refreshed. He was also feeling much better about himself. Misato had informed him over breakfast that he had not gone wolf while he slept. With this lighter mood settled about them, Shinji decided that he would try to finish working on his car.

After the couple had finished their breakfast, Shinji and Misato went upstairs and changed into their day clothes. Misato dressed in a pair of short jean shorts and a white tank top, while Shinji put on his grease clothing. While it was permanently stained from all of the auto grease, Shinji had made sure to wash it before putting it back on.

Out in the garage, Shinji felt confined. So, with Misato's help, he put the car into neutral and pushed it out onto the driveway. Once there, he rolled out the hydraulic jack and lifted the front end of his car off of the asphalt. Then, using a four-way tire iron, he removed the front two tires and put the axles up on blocks. The rear tires were removed in a similar fashion.

"There," Shinji sighed once the fourth and final tire had been removed, "Now I can put the new ones on."

"You know, you'll probably need to take them to a real auto shop to have them aligned," Misato pointed out.

"I know," Shinji acknowledged, "I knew that before I even started to take the old ones off. I _worked_ in a shop before, remember? Does your shop do alignments?"

"Yep," said Misato cheerfully, "They do just about everything."

"Including drool over you," Shinji said in a low voice.

Ten minutes later, Shinji's car had all new tires on it. He still had more parts to replace before the car would be finished. The fuel system was still in pieces, needing the new pump and filter installed. Shinji was not looking forward to this process because as it stood now, he had the lines clamped off to prevent spillage. In order for him to reattach the pump and filter, the clamps would have to be removed. This would mean that things would get very messy. Shinji gritted his teeth and removed the clamps. Almost immediately, his arms were drenched in fuel from the severed lines.

_Great,_ Shinji thought sarcastically, _now my arms are gonna reek of gasoline for the rest of the day._

The gasoline pouring everywhere started to make Shinji's job very slippery as his hands became more and more covered in it. As he tried to plug the new filter into the gap in the line, it slipped and fell out of his fingers several times. Once the filter was in place, most of the leakage was stopped, but it still dripped, and Shinji knew why. There was still a gap in the line where it was supposed to connect to the fuel pump. It was a relatively simple matter for Shinji to insert the end of the pump into the open end of the fuel line. More difficult was getting the pump to fit successfully into the engine block where Shinji knew it belonged.

"Come on, you dirty bitch!" he muttered angrily, "Give it up!"

Misato shook her head in disbelief. She had no idea why Shinji was getting so worked up over as simple a matter as this. After another two minutes of grunting and swearing, Shinji finally managed to get the fuel pump into the correct place and tighten the bolts that would hold it there. Next, he reassembled all of the remaining lines, cables, and hoses. Once that was done, Shinji stood up with a satisfied smile.

"I think that'll about do it," Shinji sighed, "Let's go get the tires aligned."

"It'll need an inspection, too," said Misato, "Otherwise, it'll be illegal for you to put that thing out on the road."

Shinji nodded. An inspection; how could he have forgotten that simple, yet essential part of the mechanic's process? Shinji cursed himself for having been out of the shop for so long as to have ignored that question. With a shrug, Shinji walked over to the utility sink that Misato had in her garage and did his best to wash off the gasoline that was still flooding the pores of his skin. After nearly five minutes of scrubbing with every hand cleaner he could find, Shinji was satisfied that the worst of the smell was gone.

"Are you clean yet?" Misato asked sarcastically.

"I think so," Shinji replied, "Shall we?"

Shinji indicated the passenger seat of the Corvette. Misato chuckled nervously.

"Are you sure about this?" she asked.

"What?" Shinji asked, feigning a hurt look, "Don't you trust me?"

"I do," Misato protested, also looking hurt (except hers was real) at Shinji's question, "It's just that I've never driven with you before, and you just put the car back together again."

"So you don't trust my work?"

"That's not it either!" Misato protested.

"Then what's the matter?" Shinji asked.

"I don't know," Misato said, opening the door and sitting down in the passenger seat.

"It's because you've never ridden with me before, right?" Shinji guessed as he climbed into the driver's seat holding the ignition key.

"Am I that transparent?" Misato asked, defeated.

"Only a little," Shinji said reassuringly. Then, he put the key into the ignition switch and prepared to turn it. He looked over at Misato.

"Let's see if I still know how to fix a car," Shinji murmured, "Here goes nothing…"

Shinji turned the key and gently pumped the gas pedal. The engine sputtered a few times, trying to turn over, finally sputtering out. Shinji tried again, praying as hard as he knew how that he actually managed to fix the car enough to get it the three blocks to Misato's garage. The engine sputtered and revved as it tried again to turn over.

With a rumble and a loud roar, the six-cylinder engine jumped to life. Shinji thumped on the steering wheel in triumph.

"Yes!" Shinji shouted excitedly as he slapped the wheel.

"I guess you've still got it," Misato said, grinning, "That's good to know. Maybe I can convince you to do all of _my_ repairs from now on, unless it's something major."

"I guess that wouldn't be too bad," Shinji remarked, putting the car into gear, "I couldn't possibly accept any money for the work, though."

"Well, I guess I'll have to pay you some _other_ way," Misato grinned slyly. Shinji glanced sidelong at Misato and grinned. He knew exactly what she meant and it was confirmed when Misato started gently stroking the inside of his right thigh. If it wasn't for his concentration being split between driving a stick-shift, driving an new and unfamiliar car, and paying attention to what was on the road, he would have been reacting in male fashion to Misato's touch. After a short cruise around the block to get a feel for his new car, Shinji drove out of the development. Since Rei had yet to see the finished car and it was on the way to the shop, Shinji headed for Rei's house. Misato looked slightly askance at Shinji when he pulled up to the sidewalk beside the ranch house.

"What are we doing _here_?" she asked.

Shinji grinned.

"Showing off," he said. Then, he gave the car's horn a couple of honks.

Rei came out the door, a puzzled look adorning her features. This confusion rapidly gave way to shock and gleeful surprise when she saw Shinji sitting in the driver's seat of his black Vette. Shinji grinned at the blue-haired girl as she came running out to the side of the road. Shinji revved the engine a couple of times.

"Oh, my god!" Rei gasped, "You got it to run. That's awesome!"

"I just finished her this morning," Shinji said proudly, "We're taking her down to the shop to get an inspection and the tires aligned. Would you like to come along?"

"Mmm…no thanks," Rei said, "That's a beautiful car, Shinji, but it's more built for two. If it's all right with you, Misato, I'd like to go over and use your pool and practice my diving after a while."

"You know where the key is, Rei," Misato said, leaning over Shinji's lap to look out the window.

"Thanks," said Rei happily, "Well, I'm gonna go change. Have fun at the mechanic's."

"Yeah," Shinji said sarcastically, "right. Depending on how long it takes, I'll probably end up being bored to tears before it's all over."

"Cheer up," Misato said, nudging him in the ribs, "I'll take you shopping after we're done. You need some sunglasses that are equal in coolness to your car. That, and you need some other clothing, too. You kind of destroyed some of it the last time you turned into a werewolf."

"Great," Shinji said blandly.

_I __**despise**__ clothes shopping,_ Shinji thought with disgust. Still, if it would make Misato happy, he would suffer through it.

A short time later and Shinji could have sworn that he was already suffering horrors too unspeakable to be named. He was sitting next to Misato in the waiting area of the auto shop behind the parts store at Johnson Auto. The only things that the shop had available to read were an assortment of badly out-of-date auto magazines and mail-order catalogues. The music, and Shinji applied the term _very_ loosely, was even worse. It consisted of a very scratchy-sounding rockabilly group doing bad covers of classic rock hits. Shinji swore that he was going insane.

_Welcome to the Twilight Zone,_ Shinji thought, _A world where time has _no_ meaning, what-so-freaking-_ever_._

Just as Shinji was about to start praying for the earth to open up and swallow him whole, a man with long hair and a slightly pointed face walked out of the shop.

"Hi, Aolba," Misato said sweetly.

"Uh…hi," Aolba replied awkwardly. Clearly, this man wasn't completely comfortable around women like Misato. Shinji glanced over at Misato, wondering why she continued to flirt with men, in full view of her boyfriend, knowing how he reacted the last time she did something like that.

"Your, uh…your car's done," Aolba said quietly.

"Cool, thanks," Shinji said with relief, "Let's go."

Shinji and Misato followed Aolba out into the shop area over to where Hyuga and another man were standing around Shinji's baby. Shinji walked up to his car and affectionately caressed the front wheel wells, as though he were petting a beloved dog or other pet. Misato turned to face the mechanics.

"So," she said, "What do I owe you guys for the work?"

"Well," Hyuga said, "you _could_ just let me take you out to dinner and we'll call it even…"

"Hey!" Shinji said angrily, forgetting about his car. He wheeled quickly around to face Hyuga.

"Easy Shinji," Misato said calmly, "Sorry, Hyuga, but I don't think Shinji would like that too much. See, he and I are dating, and he can be a little bit protective."

"You and _Shinji_ are…?" Hyuga asked weakly, "Man…some guys get _all_ the luck!"

"You sound like Kensuke," Shinji remarked.

"Who?"

"A friend of mine," Shinji replied, "He's a computer nerd who has no real life, and he complains that he can't find the right woman. I've tried to tell him that he'll never find _anyone_ unless he goes out and _looks_ for her, but he won't listen to me _or_ Toji."

"Toji Suzuhara?" Aolba asked.

"Yeah," Shinji said, "Why? Do you guys know Toji?"

"He works here part-time, like Aolba," said Hyuga, "He's pretty popular with the lady customers we get here in the repair shop. Seems he likes to work out in his spare time."

"Sounds almost like _you're_ in love with him, Makoto," Aolba joked.

"Shut up!" Hyuga snapped back, "Anyway, Misato, for the inspection and tire alignment you'll owe us about 175."

"Well _that's_ not bad at _all_," Misato said, a hint of surprise and relief showing in her voice. Clearly, she had been used to much higher repair bills for other things that went wrong with a car.

"Anyway," said Shinji, "Toji tries to give Kensuke lessons on being a so-called 'ladies' man', but I don't think that _Toji's_ ever had a date in his life, either."

All of the men in the shop chuckled heartily. Shinji suspected that he had just set his friend up for a major teasing when he next came in to work. He felt sort of guilty, but he couldn't wait to hear Toji blow up about how much of a hard time the "guys at work" had given him about his dating experience. Misato pulled out her check book and scribbled out the payment.

"Thanks again, guys," she said happily, "Let's go, Shinji."

"Gladly," Shinji said gratefully, climbing into his Stingray.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Ten minutes later, Shinji and Misato were deep in downtown L.A. at the city's largest mall complex. In the parking garage, Shinji was reluctant to leave his car at the mercies of the city. He knew full well the dangers that a car could face, even in the relative safety of a parking garage.

"Don't worry too much," Misato said bracingly, "The parking garage at this mall is one of the safest in the city, and I promise that this won't take too long. We'll just grab you some shades and a few new sets of clothes, and then we'll leave, okay?"

"Sure," said Shinji, "Just make sure your door's locked, all right?"

"Will do," Misato replied, pushing down on the lock of her door. Shinji locked his door and took another long look back at his car. He felt like a father dropping off his child at a new daycare center for the first time. Finally though, he walked away and headed towards the elevator that would lead him into the mall.

"Wow," Shinji gasped when he entered the mall.

"Big, isn't it?" Misato asked.

Big wasn't really the right word for it. _Enormous_ was more the correct adjective for the description of the mall's interior. Shinji could have sworn that the roof was almost three hundred feet up. From the floor plan that was on the directory that he and Misato now stood in front of, he could see that the building had five floors; most of them occupied by stores. On the top floor, there was a gigantic IMAX theatre and arcade. The floor below it was occupied by nothing but food courts and food shops.

"This…is…_huge_," Shinji said slowly. Misato chuckled in response to this. Clearly, every first-time visitor to the mall had nearly the same reaction. It took Shinji and Misato nearly twenty minutes to wind their way up through three floors of stores until they reached an American Eagle Outfitters.

"No way," said Shinji defiantly, "There is _absolutely_ no way I'm shopping at an American Eagle."

"Why not?" Misato asked, looking disappointed.

"It's too **trendy**," said Shinji with disgust, "All of those high-_fashion_, low-_moral_ celebrities and all of the preppy, rich kids endorse the kinds of rags that they sell in this kind of store. And anyway, the kinds of fashions that they sell here are usually passé by nightfall of the day you buy them. I've never been the kind of guy to follow fashion fads; it's just not me. I keep it simple and consistent."

"Then, where would you rather shop?"

"I'd rather not shop at _all_, honestly," Shinji replied bluntly, "I really don't like to _go_ clothes shopping…Wait a second…"

Shinji paused as he looked into the "trendy" clothing store. He wasn't looking at the clothing racks and hangers. He was looking _between_ the hanger racks at a stand of sunglasses near the checkout desk. What he saw caught his attention immediately. Shinji darted over the threshold of the store, leaving a confused Misato following in his wake.

Shinji strode over to the sunglasses and plucked a pair off of the rack. He turned them over in his hands, examining every curve and detail. Next, he tried them on experimentally. They felt comfortable and Shinji thought they looked rather exciting on his face. He turned around while wearing them and looked at Misato.

"Wow," she said, "I never would have pictured you in those, but they work for you."

"Thanks sweetheart," Shinji replied, "I've always wanted a good pair of aviator sunglasses to wear around."

"Can you just imagine all of the envious looks you're going to get?" Misato asked as the pair walked over to the register, "I mean, you cruise around in a '77 Corvette, you look super handsome, and _now_ you're going to look like some kind of a super stud with these sunglasses added into the mix."

"I think the _most_ envious looks are going to come from the guys who want to cruise around with a hottie like _you_ in their car," Shinji said, "I mean, sure they might think it's a nice car, but guys like a gorgeous woman to sit in their cars _with_ them."

"Well, you've got me all to yourself," Misato said, hugging Shinji's arm and kissing him playfully on the cheek.

Shinji smiled. Minutes later, he and Misato walked out of the store with his sunglasses hanging on the front of his T-shirt. Misato pulled Shinji into a more generic clothing store and practically shoved him back to the jeans section. Shinji reached for several pairs and headed for one of the dressing rooms.

"You know," Misato remarked while Shinji was changing, "if I just _happened_ to sneak back there when no one was looking, we could--,"

"Get busted by mall security?" Shinji asked through the dressing room door, "No thanks. Been there, done that."

"Been there, done that?" Misato repeated, "You mean you've…?"

"Done it in a dressing room before? Yeah, once," Shinji replied, "It's…not something I'm generally that proud of."

Shinji emerged from the dressing room wearing his old jeans again. After selecting a couple of T-shirts to go with the jeans, he and Misato left the store and headed for the food court level. After lunch, Shinji wanted to go straight for home, but Misato wouldn't hear of it. She wanted to do more shopping.

_Somehow,_ Shinji thought ironically, _I _knew_ this was going to happen! I just _knew_ it!_

"I thought we were only here to pick up some shades for me and a few new sets of clothes," Shinji asked.

"We are," Misato answered, "We got you _your_ new clothes, and now we're going shopping for _my_ new clothes."

_I should have known she'd pick a loop-hole like that._

What Shinji _didn't_ know, however, was exactly _where_ Misato was taking him shopping. As it so happened, Misato led Shinji right up to a Victoria's Secret store and tried to drag him inside. When Shinji resisted, Misato looked hurt. Shinji just grinned and said:

"Surprise me. Pick out something nice to wear tonight." He said this and winked. Misato got a mischievous smile on her face and nodded. As Misato walked into the store, Shinji called after her, "I'll be in the book shop down the way. Come and find me when you're done!"

Shinji wandered his way down the half-mile corridor, looking for the bookstore that he and Misato had passed earlier. On his way, Shinji passed several groups of "questionable-looking" people. Shinji suspected that they were either gang members, or simply local hooligans out for a stroll in the mall, looking to possibly stir up trouble or commit a crime like shoplifting. As Shinji walked past them, each of them glared at him. Shinji did his best to act like nothing was the matter, but the glares annoyed him. He didn't even _know_ these people and here they were glaring at him like he had offended their mothers or something.

Shinji didn't think about it too much, and soon he found himself within the comforting confines of the bookstore. Shinji had a wry thought: _This is probably the only store in the mall where those street creeps won't venture. There's too much chance of them actually _learning_ something!_

Thinking like this caused Shinji to chuckle softly. He soon found a science-fiction novel on one of the shelves (about werewolves, of course), and proceeded to start skimming through it. Shinji didn't know how much time passed, but he happened to glance up from the book when heard a male voice outside the store shout something about a "great-looking piece of ass carrying Victoria's Secret bags."

_That's gotta be Misato_, Shinji thought, _Where is she?_

Shinji shelved the book and moved to the entrance of the store. He looked up and down in both directions, trying to spot, not only Misato, but the loudmouth who had made such a rude comment about her. Shinji heard the same male voice again, but this time he couldn't quite make out what he was saying. Shinji _did_, however, manage to spot Misato's flowing mane of purple hair bobbing through the crowd one level down. However, Misato wasn't walking toward Shinji's location in the book shop. She was, instead, striding quickly towards the central rotunda of the mall. Shinji looked puzzled at first, but then he saw the small group of shabbily-clad youth pursuing her.

Shinji wished that it were later in the day and that he could call forth his werewolf form. Since he couldn't, he took to his human feet and dashed down the corridor, trying to reach Misato before she was harassed by the hooligans. As Shinji tried to keep tabs on Misato's location, all the while dodging left and right through the crowded area, he watched as the gang members began to herd Misato towards a maintenance hallway. Shinji had several suspicions about what would happen after they got her there; that is, _if_ he let them get her there. Shinji was worried, though. He could see no quick way of getting down that one floor without completely losing track of Misato's position, and how could he help Misato if he couldn't _find_ her?

Shinji noticed something. The layout of the corridors was like that of a step-pyramid. That is, the higher floors' walkways were farther apart than the lower levels'. This meant that Shinji could look straight down over the railing of the floor that he was on and see the walkway of the level below him. Shinji was filled with another wave of reckless bravado and a crazy idea. Shinji dashed over to the railing and looked straight down at the walkway, judging the vertical distance. It looked to be about fifteen feet, straight down. More fortunately, there were not that many people on the walkway directly below him and there was a large gap in the crowd that was approaching.

Shinji took a few steps back from the railing and then dashed toward it. He planted his hands against the top rail and dropped himself over it into empty space. Shinji felt himself hang in empty air for nearly three seconds, and then he came crashing back to earth on the walkway below him. He hit the ground and rolled back to his feet without missing a beat and kept running. Inwardly, however, Shinji cursed himself for his foolish bravado.

_Ow, ow, ow, ow, OW!_ He roared mentally, _God_damn_ did that hurt! Quit whining, wolf. Keep running. Catch those punks before they hurt Misato._

Despite the loud protests that Shinji's knees gave him, he raced down the walkway, pushing his way through the crowd. Shinji saw Misato's hair dip into the maintenance hallway, followed by her pursuers. Shinji panicked and ran harder, knocking several people over in his desperation. Shinji whipped around the corner and plowed into the back of one of the punks. The teenager that Shinji ran into stumbled into another two of his comrades while Shinji bounced off and fell over backwards. One of the three gang members turned around and picked Shinji up roughly by the front of his shirt.

"Watch where the fuck you're goin'," snarled the boy that Shinji had run into. Then, he shoved Shinji back out toward the main walkway. Shinji stumbled with the push, then recovered and took another step forward. The youth tried to shove Shinji back again, only to be caught by his arms and pulled across Shinji's body and tripped onto his face.

"Take 'im!" the second boy shouted. Then, he and the third boy threw themselves at Shinji. Shinji stood his ground, unafraid. Instead of being afraid, Shinji was feeling a thrill of confidence and courage.

Shinji sidestepped the boy nearest to him. He went flying on by Shinji, a confused look on his face. Shinji turned his attention to the second boy, who plowed himself into Shinji's abdomen at a full run. Shinji didn't even try to resist, he just allowed the boy to drive him down to the floor. However, what the hooligan didn't expect was for Shinji to roll with the impact of the ground, plant his knees into the punk's gut, and boost him over his head into the railing, knocking him out cold. Shinji spun himself back up to his feet, expecting further attacks, but none came. His assailants had all fled.

With a grunt, Shinji turned and dashed on down the maintenance hallway. Shinji suspected that the three punks who had attempted to stop him were only the lookouts. He expected to find the rest of the gang a little further ahead.

_Please, let Misato be all right,_ Shinji prayed.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Shinji charged down the steadily darkening corridor. A brief thought crossed his mind as he ran.

_While I'm fighting for my life in here, where the _hell_ is mall security?_

Shinji didn't waste time wondering because, at the moment, he really didn't care. All he cared about was catching up to the gang before they caught Misato. Shinji's entire being was focused on this single, all-consuming need. As before, Shinji's panic and desperation lent him extra speed and stamina. Moments later, Shinji rounded a corner to the end of the hallway. What he found made him more furious than he had ever been in his entire life.

What he found was a group of seven or eight teenagers, all apparently between the ages of seventeen and twenty-two, pushing Misato up against the wall and pulling at her clothing. Misato was fighting valiantly, but she was hopelessly outnumbered and outmuscled, and her clothing was beginning to tear. All of the boys were hooting lustily and shouting gleefully, anticipating an imminent gang-rape. With a loud bellow, Shinji threw himself at the boys, bowling two over and knocking one of them out as his knee contacted the boy's head.

"Shinji!" Misato gasped with desperate relief.

The other five would-be rapists turned their attention to Shinji. Several of them produced switch-blade knives. One of them put on two sets of brass knuckles. Shinji chuckled evilly and launched himself into the fray.

In a few minutes the fight was over. All of the gang members were lying unconscious on the ground, their hands bound with their belts and their weapons lying in a heap a few feet from them. Shinji had only suffered a few minor nicks and cuts on his arms from the knife blades. As he caught his breath, Misato stumbled over to him and collapsed heavily into his arms. Her shirt was barely hanging onto her body; hardly enough to cover her decently to get her out to the Corvette.

Shinji solved this problem by stripping one of the gang member's shirts off and handing it to Misato. She gratefully accepted the chance to cover up. Once Misato was garbed in this slightly ill-fitting shirt, she and Shinji left the maintenance hallway and rejoined the throng in the main mall corridor.

"Still interested in doing more shopping, Misato?" Shinji asked, his voice gently sarcastic.

"Just take us home," Misato answered quietly, her voice nearly monotonic.

"Yeah."

Shinji and Misato quickly navigated their way back through the mall and out into the parking garage. Soon, the Corvette's V-8 engine roared back to life and Shinji and Misato were on their way home. Once they were back at Misato's house, Misato retreated up to her bedroom and shut herself in.

"Are you okay, Misato?" Shinji called through the door.

"Just leave me alone for right now, baby," Misato replied, sounding both tired and shocked, "I just…want to be alone…"

"If you need anything, give a yell. I'll be in my room," Shinji said, trying to sound reassuring and gentle.

_Give it a little while more, sweetheart,_ Shinji thought, as he sat down in his room, _Then, I'll be able to keep an ear on you from anywhere in the house. I wonder what's bothering her so much about this time. I mean, even when what happened with Kaji was over, Misato wasn't as withdrawn as this. And Kaji threatened her _life_, for crying out loud! Did Misato have a bad experience with a gang before? Or maybe…dear God, of course. How could I have been so blind? Misato was nearly gang-raped in a place that was supposed to have security to _prevent_ that sort of thing. That sort of experience is more than enough to make _any_one feel betrayed and hurt. _That's_ why she's shut herself away. She wants to be in her own space, surrounded by her own personal things, where she feels safe and in control of her surroundings. I know that feeling._

Shinji's own analytical thinking surprised him. He didn't realize that he had it in him to be such a good detective. A sudden stinging in his arms reminded him that he had wounds which needed to be dressed. He entered the bathroom, walked over to the sink, and washed out the cuts on his forearms.

"That's good," Shinji murmured, "These should heal in a matter of hours, thanks to my werewolf metabolism."

Something occurred to Shinji.

"I _still_ don't have all the facts about my werewolf lineage," he realized, as he turned and walked out of the bathroom, "I don't know _where_ my family comes from or if I get my blood from my _father_ or my _mother_, or any of that. I need to know this. I want answers about my past. But who can I talk to?"

Shinji pondered his own personal question. Obviously, no answer was given, since he was speaking to an empty room. But ponder he did, and he continued to ponder until he saw that the sun had set outside.

"Perhaps a little fresh air will help me think," Shinji said to his reflection in the mirror. Then, he stripped off his shirt and pants and walked, naked, out onto his balcony.

Once there, Shinji looked up into the starlit sky and closed his eyes. He could feel the moonlight on his face, warm as the sun. It called to him; a wild, untamable, yet hauntingly beautiful call. He heard the song of the wolf in his ears. It urged him to surrender his humanity to the allure of the night.

Shinji arched his back and flexed his shoulders, feeling his human flesh give way to the wolf within. Shinji felt the wild rush of power that made him want to howl at the moon that was his strength. However, he fought down the urge to howl, not wanting to draw the potential attention of any other werewolves who might be in the surrounding area. He had learned from some of the printed files that he got from the Moonwatchers that werewolves can hear each other's call from as far away as five miles over open land. Obviously, in a city, open land wasn't exactly a consideration, but a howl could echo through the standing buildings in a canyon effect for, Shinji estimated, about a mile and a half.

Shinji breathed deeply of the night air. As before, he relished the freshness of the gentle smell of the cool, evening breeze. And also, as before, Shinji detected a familiar, sweet scent on the breeze: Rei.

_So,_ Shinji thought, _she _was_ here, after all. It wasn't just a dodge to get out of going to the auto shop and mall with us. Not that I really blame her for not wanting to ride in the back of the 'Vette. I'm not sure if it even_ has_ a back seat that's fit for riding in, now that I think about it. She smells so soft. It's almost…intoxicating to keep smelling her like this._

Shinji leapt off of his balcony and landed noiselessly in the yard. It amazed him that a creature as large as a werewolf could move silently. Shinji began nosing around the rim of the pool, detecting signs of Rei's presence in that area. He smelled her on the diving board and the pool ladder, as well as a trail of her scent leading over to the Jacuzzi house. Shinji noted that the trail to the hot tub seemed fresher than the other scent trails.

_There's no trail leading away from the tub house,_ Shinji noticed, _That worries me a little bit._

Shinji's mind ran through a short list of possible reasons for the lack of a return trail.

_She _could_ still be in there; sleeping or unconscious,_ Shinji thought, _There could be a few troublesome reasons for that. She could also have doubled-back onto her own trail to throw me off. But how would she have known that I would come out here and sniff her out? I'll discard that one for right now. I'm gonna go on the assumption that she's still in there and possibly in trouble._

Shinji leaped from one side of the pool to the other with ease and crossed the yard in a few bounding strides. As Shinji pulled the glass doors open, he saw that they were fogged; indicating activity in the hot tub. The lights were also turned off, but Shinji's werewolf eyes had perfect night vision and he saw a body sitting in the tub. The smell of hot tub chemicals was potent in the room, but Shinji detected an unmistakably human aroma underneath them. Shinji reached for one of the towels that hung on a rack near the door and reverted to human form.

"Rei? Are you in here?" Shinji asked, wrapping the towel about his waist.

"You certainly took your time getting here," came Rei's voice over the rumble of the hot tub jets, "I'm beginning to get pruney."

"You…were _expecting_ me?" Shinji asked, confused.

"Sort of," Rei said coyly, "I hid outside until nightfall and looked up at your balcony. I saw you walk out and look at the sky. You know, it's kind of scary to see you transform into a werewolf."

"Sorry," said Shinji apologetically, "I wasn't aware that anyone was watching; especially not _you_."

"Why not?"

"I thought you would have gone home hours ago," Shinji replied, "Do your parents know you're still here?"

"Mom and dad are away on a business trip this weekend," Rei replied, "I'm on my own."

"Business trip?" Shinji repeated, "What kind of business?"

"Mom and dad own their own art consultant firm," Rei answered, "Dad handles the money and accounting while mom goes out and meets with clients. Generally, one of them will go out, usually mom, and meet with a buyer or prospective investor. However, at times like _this_, when they're _both_ gone on 'business' at the same _time_, I suspect that they've taken a weekend to get away and have a romantic weekend for two."

"And this doesn't shock you?" Shinji asked.

"Not really," Rei said with a shrug, "They do it every few weeks or so. You know, you _are_ allowed to come in and join me."

"I don't know if I should," Shinji said reluctantly, "I mean, I should stay out where I can hear Misato if she needs me."

"Did something happen today?" Rei asked, suddenly concerned.

"I'll say," Shinji grumbled, "Misato was almost gang-raped by a group of hoodlums in the mall this afternoon."

"No!" Rei gasped. Then, she stood up abruptly, revealing…everything. Rei was bathing nude. This shocked Shinji a little bit, but he turned around quickly, thinking he heard something.

"Sorry, Rei," Shinji said, "I have to go."

With that, Shinji quickly re-transformed and trotted back to the house. He stopped and listened hard. Through the walls and floors, he heard Misato's voice:

"Shinji? Where are you?"

As she repeated the question, her voice got more and more frantic. Shinji tensed his legs and sprang for his balcony, easily clearing the railing and landing near his balcony door. He reverted to his human form and grabbed his pants. Once he yanked them on, he rushed over to Misato's door and opened it. Misato heard the door open and practically threw herself into Shinji's arms, weeping like a twelve-year-old girl.

"I'm here, sweetie," Shinji murmured gently, "It's okay now."

"That gang," Misato hiccupped, "Th-they were going to—,"

"I know, baby, I know," Shinji cooed, "But they didn't. You fought them off until help came."

"Until _you_ came, Shinji," Misato corrected him, "I fought them off until my werewolf protector came to my rescue. Is this how it's _always_ gonna be? I get in trouble and you save me?"

"Is that such a bad thing?" Shinji asked gently.

"Well, it's definitely gender stereotyping," Misato said cynically, "I become the 'damsel in distress' waiting for my 'brave prince charming' to come and save me because I'm a helpless little woman."

Misato's voice was dripping with sarcasm throughout her entire last sentence. Shinji rolled his eyes, but tried to hold back any sniping remarks. The sound of a door closing brought Shinji's attention back to reality.

"Misato," he said, "There's something you should know."

"What?" Misato asked, beginning to sound tired.

"Rei's still here."

"She's still here?" Misato repeated, not sounding as tired, "What's she still doing _here_?"

"Well, I found her out in the hot tub," Shinji said, not wanting to release too many details to Misato in her frazzled state.

"That's all fine," Misato said dismissively, "but I would have thought she would have wanted to be home before dark. Her parents usually get worried when she's out late."

"She said they were away on business," said Shinji.

"_Another_ business trip?" Misato wondered, "Where do they _go_ all the time?"

"I don't know," Shinji replied, "But I told Rei about what happened today. She's worried for you, Misato."

Misato shook her head in disbelief. It was as if she didn't know or think that anyone but Shinji, or maybe _anyone_, for that matter, would care that she had just had a near-miss experience with gang-rape. Shinji smiled gently at her.

"What?" he asked, "She is. And so am I, darling. I love you."

"I love you, too, Shinji," Misato replied.

"I'm gonna go see who's downstairs," Shinji said, "You wait here."

"No way," Misato refused resolutely, "I'm not going to sit here like a scaredy-cat, I'm gonna help you."

After what Misato had just ranted on about being a "damsel in distress", he didn't say anything more. He respected Misato's wish to want to be more involved in her destiny. After all, wasn't it what _he_ wanted as well?


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

**A.N.: Okay, folks, here's how it works. I don't own any of the Eva characters or descriptions, and I don't own anything that comes from Angel, either.**

Shinji and Misato walked downstairs to investigate who had come in the door. Shinji was surprised by Misato leading the way into the living room, actually pushing past him to do so. She had a very hard look on her face, as though expecting another attack.

_Okay,_ Shinji thought, _pride's one thing. The way she's acting, like she's got something to prove, that's just bordering on _obsession_, and it could potentially get her in a lot of trouble._

What they found was Rei sitting on one of the couches, wrapped in a fluffy white robe. Shinji wasn't sure what she was wearing underneath it, but he suspected it wasn't much.

"Up kind of late, aren't you, Rei?" Misato asked, her voice friendlier now that she knew who was in the room.

"I was in the hot tub and I guess I lost track of the time," Rei replied apologetically, "I'm sorry. If I'm bothering you, I'll leave."

"Not unless you put on something a little more modest than that robe," Misato said. Shinji laughed softly.

"What?" Misato demanded, rounding on him.

"Oh, nothing," Shinji chuckled, "You just sounded exactly like a mother or an older sister or something right there, that's all."

"Hm," Misato grunted shortly, then turned back to Rei, "Well?"

"I have my bathing suit on under the robe," she said shyly, "I just put this on because I felt chilly."

"Didn't you bring any other clothing with you," Misato asked, "Or did you just wear that robe over here this afternoon?"

"I brought other clothes," Rei replied defensively, "but it got windy this afternoon and they got blown into the pool. They aren't dry yet."

"I'm sorry," Misato said, softening, "Would you like me to throw them in the dryer so you can get home and go to bed?"

"I'm not in any hurry. I'm…still kind of leery about being at home alone at night," Rei said uncomfortably.

"That's understandable," Shinji chimed in with a nod. Misato looked askance at him.

"Well, I mean, look at the facts," Shinji continued, undaunted, "The last time Rei stayed at home without any kind of supervision, she nearly had her throat ripped out by a crazed werewolf trying to send me a message written in blood."

"I wasn't home alone," Rei protested, "Mom and dad were in their bedroom. They just…didn't hear anything. And when they didn't ask about it the next morning, I didn't volunteer anything. After they left for work, I dug out the cleaning equipment and scrubbed the hell out of my floor until I got most of the blood stain out."

"Do you think they'll notice much?" Shinji asked.

"I don't know," Rei said with a small shrug, "Maybe if I can find a nice area rug to cover the spot, they'll never know. What do you think?"

"It might work," Shinji said encouragingly, "But, you know, if you want, you can sleep here at the house tonight. That is, if you feel like it would help you sleep better and it's all right with _you_, Misato."

"Hey, if Rei needs a place to sleep that she feels secure in, I say let her stay," Misato said, sounding more and more like her usual, jovial self.

"However," she added, sounding too suddenly serious to be believable, "I'd _better_ not catch her snuggled up in my boyfriend's bed in the morning. If I do, oh _boy_ am I gonna be _pissed_!"

"I wouldn't try to steal him from you!" Rei said, sounding abashed, "I'll sleep here on the couch!"

"Mellow out a little, Misato," Shinji said sheepishly, "There's nothing like that between us anymore."

Rei's eyes fell when she heard Shinji say this. As Misato was staring most intently at Shinji, she didn't notice. Shinji, however, _did_ notice. It ripped his heart out with grief that he had just re-broken Rei's heart after she had done so much to sneak her way back into his life.

"On second thought, I think I'll go home and sleep," Rei said quietly. She got up and started for the door.

"Well, go after her," Misato said insistently.

"What?" Shinji asked, "Why?"

"It's too late in the evening for a girl like Rei to be out alone dressed like she is," Misato replied, "And besides, she looks like she's on the verge of tears. Go after her and bring her back."

Shinji didn't need anything more to be said. He rushed out to the entrance hallway. He caught up with Rei as she was pulling open the front door.

"Rei, wait!"

"Just let me go home so you and Misato can have some privacy," Rei protested.

"I can't _do_ that tonight, Rei," Shinji said adamantly, "You're only wearing a robe and a bikini, and I'm not even sure you're _wearing_ the bikini--,"

Shinji's ramble was cut off by Rei pulling open the front of her robe. Underneath it, Shinji saw her white bikini's bottom, but the top was missing, leaving her perky breasts exposed to his view. Shinji gawked despite himself.

"I wasn't lying," Rei said quietly.

"But you weren't telling the truth, either," said Shinji, "You're only wearing _half_ a bathing suit, and I _can't_, in good conscience, let you go outside at night wearing only _that_."

"You're sweet, Shinji," Rei said, "you really are. I can see why Misato loves you so much. That's why you don't need me here tonight. Misato's still recovering from a terrible ordeal and she needs quiet and support from people who love her."

"And she invited you to stay," Shinji added, "What does that tell you? She wants you to stay, Rei. Please? It's not safe for you to go out there at night dressed like that, even in the 'burbs."

"It's only a short walk to my house," said Rei, closing her robe and stepping out the door, "What could happen between here and there?"

"Maybe…_that_?!" Shinji shouted, diving at Rei and knocking her down.

"Shinji, what the hell--?!"

"Look!" Shinji said pointedly, indicating what _looked_ like a man standing back up and turning to face them.

"Who's that?" Rei asked, confused.

"I think," Shinji said as the man faced them fully, "I think the better question is: _what_ is that?"

"I'm insulted," the man said, "You're a creature of the night yourself, and you've never heard of _vampires_? Man… Kids today are so _jaded_!"

"I'm sorry," Shinji said, "did you just say _vampire_?"

"Yeah," said Misato, stepping out the door, "vampire. Blood-sucking maniacs. They're scum, Shinji, and you need to kill them whenever you get the chance, because they _won't_ hesitate to kill you and anyone you care about."

"How do you know so much about us?" the vampire asked, "I don't know anything about _you_, other than the fact that you look absolutely _delicious_."

"You stay away from her," Shinji growled, getting to his feet.

"How are you gonna stop me, little pup?" the vampire taunted.

"I'll tear you apart," Shinji snarled. Then, with a howl, he transformed into his werewolf form. He tackled the vampire and began to claw and slash at him. A brawl between the two night-creatures began. Shinji picked up the vampire and hurled him over the top of the house, then he leaped over the roof after him, easily clearing the roof in a single bound. When Shinji landed in the backyard, the vampire was up on its feet and waiting for him. The two combatants re-engaged in their mortal duel.

"Shinji!" Misato shouted, charging out the back door, "Go for its heart or its throat!"

The vampire charged at Shinji again. This time, Shinji was ready. As the vampire leapt at him, Shinji grabbed him by the neck and sank his fangs into its neck. The vampire dropped to the ground and writhed in agony. Shinji watched with satisfaction as the skin on its neck began to crack and crumble.

"AAAAARRRGGHH!" the blood-sucker screamed as his body crumbled into a pile of dust. Shinji pulled back to humanity and scooped up some of the dust into his hands.

"What the hell was that all about?" Shinji asked, rolling some of the dust on his fingertips.

"Can't say for certain," Misato replied, "But I'm gonna guess that that vampire you just dusted was intent on feeding on Rei, and you just saved her neck, _literally_."

"No, I mean, how'd a simple bite to the throat kill a supposedly _immortal_ creature?" Shinji said, "Vampires…they _are_ supposed to be immortal, right?"

"Yeah, they are," Misato answered, "I mean, unless you stake them through the heart with wood or cut off their head, or there's always the waiting for the sun to rise. They're not fond of holy water or fire. And, I guess they're not fond of werewolf bites, either."

"I think I almost agree with the dust-bunny, here," Shinji said, "How the hell _do_ you know so much about vampires? I mean real ones."

"We have a history," Misato said shortly, "And it's not a good one."

"What happened?" Rei asked.

"They took my family," Misato said, her voice quiet and emotionless, "When I was eight, a vampire came to my house. My parents didn't know. They thought he was their old friend, so they invited him in. He toyed with them at first, making mom scream for help, then hitting her in the face to shut her up. He made me watch helplessly as he drank them both. I would have been next, but someone came."

"Who?" Shinji asked, amazed at Misato's dark past.

"A man," Misato replied, "He was tall, he had short, somewhat spiky and messy hair, and a really heavy brow. He stopped in the doorway and shouted at me: 'Invite me in! I'm here to help!' I didn't know why he wanted to be _invited_ in, but I couldn't make my mouth move to speak. So, I just motioned with my hands rapidly for him to come in. He burst through the doorway and staked the vampire with few problems. I watched that soulless bastard crumble to dust with a tear-streaked smile on my face. When he was gone, I walked over and spat in the pile of dust and kicked it around. Then, I cried. The man walked over and stood next to me. His voice was very calm when he spoke.

"'They're gone…_aren't_ they?' I asked. I felt dead inside, because I already knew the answer.

"'Yeah,' he replied, sounding very calm, 'Yeah, they are. I'm sorry.'

"'Who are you?' I had asked him, 'How did you know I needed help?'

"'I'm Angel,' he replied, 'I have people who…tell me when there are people in trouble. I'm sorry I didn't…get here in time to save your parents.'

"Wait a minute," Shinji said, temporarily interrupting Misato, "He's a _guy_, and his name's _Angel_?"

"Yeah," Misato said, "That's the only name I got from him. Before he left, he gave me his card and told me that I should call him if I ever needed help again."

"Do you still have that card?" Shinji asked.

"It's been almost twenty years," Misato said.

"Do you still have it?" Shinji repeated.

"Yeah," Misato said, "I keep it…upstairs."

Shinji, Rei and Misato went upstairs to Misato's bedroom, where she went over to her dresser and dug through her top drawer. She produced a small business card that had an artistically inscribed picture of an angelic being on it. Shinji read the name "Angel Investigations" across the top of the card. Shinji read a phone number across the bottom.

"Misato," Shinji said, "Does the phone in your office have a speaker-phone setting?"

"Yeah," said Misato, "Why?"

"Because I think these people can help us," Shinji said, "Let's go give them a call."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Down in Misato's home office, Shinji dialed in the phone number on the card and switched it to speaker-phone. After several rings, Shinji heard the answering machine pick up.

"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless," said a man's voice, "leave your message after the beep."

"Oh, god," Misato gasped quietly. She pressed the "disconnect" button on the phone.

"What's the matter?" Shinji asked.

"That was him," Misato whispered, "Angel. I'll never forget that voice."

"Are you _sure_ that was him?" Shinji asked, "You said yourself, it's been almost twenty years since you heard or saw anything of him."

"It was him," Misato said again, "There's no question in my mind."

"We should go and talk to them face-to-face," Rei suggested.

"That could work," said Shinji in agreement, "The address on their card lists them as still here in L.A."

"Shinji," Misato said seriously, "That card's as old as my story. There's only a slim chance that the address is still valid."

"Then let's go to the 'Net," Shinji said, reaching over and turning on Misato's computer.

Once it was on, Shinji accessed the Internet and web-searched for "Angel Investigations". He cross-checked his search with the address listed on the business card and came up with a successful match. Shinji was able to pull up a picture of their building.

"It looks like an old hotel," Rei observed.

"It's the old Hyperion," Shinji clarified, "I've read some things about it. There were several grisly murders in the past at that address, as well as a few suicides. There were several rumors that the place was actually _haunted_, or _demon_-possessed, or something crazy like that."

"How crazy can it be when vampires and werewolves actually exist," Misato pointed out.

"Good point," Shinji agreed, "Well, we can head there first thing tomorrow. How's that sound?"

"That's fine…I guess," Misato said hesitantly, "But if we're going anywhere, we're taking _my_ car. Sorry, Shinji, but that Corvette is just too small for three people. You _are_ coming, right Rei?"

"Of course," Rei replied, "Like it or not, I'm involved in this now, so I might as well go along."

"Cool," said Shinji.

"Let's get some sleep," Misato suggested.

"I'll get Rei some blankets," Shinji said, standing up.

"Don't worry about it, Shinji," Misato said, waving her hand, "I'll get 'em. You stay put."

Without giving Shinji a chance to reply or say anything at all, Misato slipped quickly out of the room, leaving him and Rei alone together. Shinji stood awkwardly next to the girl in the robe. Rei sidled closer to him and put an arm around his waist. Shinji felt himself drifting in and out of control of his impulses.

_I hope Misato gets back soon,_ Shinji thought, _because thinking about what Rei _doesn't_ have on underneath that robe is driving me bonkers! If we're alone for too long together, I might do something that'll destroy what Misato and I have together. No! I have to keep control of myself…for Misato's sake._

Shinji's self control was strained further by Rei loosening the top of her robe, exposing a large amount of cleavage. Shinji had finally had enough.

"Rei," he whispered urgently, "what the hell do you think you're _doing_?!"

"Just making myself more comfortable," she whispered back.

"And making me really _un_comfortable," said Shinji, "I can't do this, Rei."

"Do what, Shinji?" Rei said, turning to face him full front.

"_This_," Shinji said, indicating the nearly open front of Rei's robe, "This…_temptation_. I understand that you've still got feelings for me, Rei, and I'm not sorry for making you fall in love with me. What I _am_ sorry about is that I can't return the same back to you anymore. Misato and I are together now, Rei. You're going to have to accept this fact. I'm sorry."

"It's hard to let you go, you know," Rei said suddenly. Her voice was torn with sadness and regret, "I really _do_ love you, Shinji. I really _did_ enjoy what we shared, that first day we met. Misato and I had it all worked out. She introduces us, and I lead you from there until we fall for each other. What I didn't count on was you falling in love with her. Don't get me wrong, Shinji. I love Misato. She's one of my best friends. But it's just hard to look at you two together and know that she and I had originally planned for it to be you and _me_ together."

"I'm so--,"

"Sorry, yeah, I know," Rei interrupted, "I understand that, baby."

Shinji couldn't bear to be in the same room with Rei any longer. It hurt him too much. He turned and strode quickly out of the office, bound for his bedroom. When he got there, he collapsed onto his bed. He felt emotionally as well as physically drained.

"Shinji? You in here, honey?"

"Yeah Misato," Shinji sighed, "I'm here."

"You sound bummed, Shinji," Misato said, sitting down next to him, "What's going on?"

"It's Rei," Shinji said, "She's… still in love with me, Misato. And I'm not talking 'crush', either; I'm talking about a full-on _infatuation_."

"She's more persistent than I gave her credit for," Misato muttered.

"What's that?" Shinji asked.

"Nothing," said Misato quickly. Shinji quirked an eyebrow at her.

"My hearing's better at night than during the day," he said, "I actually _did_ hear you right there. I was just wondering whether you were willing to be honest with me."

"What makes you think that I'm not honest with you?" Misato asked.

"Rei told me about a plot that the two of you had when I first moved in here," Shinji said, "I think you remember; the whole 'way to soothe a troubled teen' thing? What were your words again? 'You need to find yourself a girl', wasn't it? She told me about how you were trying to set the two of us up. You know what else? It hurt her when she learned about my feelings for you. I love you Misato, but I don't love that you've kept secrets from me. Through all my years of wandering, I never met anyone that I thought that I could truly trust. I thought that had changed when I met you. I thought you were different."

"What are you saying, Shinji?" Misato asked, sounding worried.

"I'm saying, I don't like being lied to," Shinji said, sitting up, "I'm tired of being led around blindly. I don't like people trying to plan my future for me. And it hurts me badly that you went behind my back before I'd even _met_ you and tried to set me up with a girl I had never even _heard_ of."

"I tried to ensure that you'd have a friend here waiting for you," Misato insisted, "I only had your best interests in mind. Shinji, after that vampire killed my parents, I had no one, just like you. I didn't have any brothers or sisters to live with, no grandparents by that point, and all of my aunts and uncles lived too far away to call on. I was so alone. I didn't want to see that happen to anyone else, so I tried to find you someone you could call your own."

"Call my own?" Shinji repeated, incredulous, "Misato, Rei's not a piece of property. She's not a 'thing' to be possessed, she's a _person_."

"I know."

"No, I'm not sure you _do_," Shinji said, beginning to get angry, "Misato, I'm leaving. You don't own _me_, either."

"No! _Please_ Shinji, don't leave me!" Misato begged, "I _need_ you!"

"_Do_ you?" Shinji asked fiercely, getting up, "Are you sure you don't just need someone beside you in your _bed_, to fill up some empty part of your life? Is _that_ it? Are you just _using_ me?"

Shinji stripped down to his boxers and packed a small satchel of clothing. He transformed and crossed the room over to his balcony and stood for a long moment. Then, without a sound, he propelled himself up over the roof and onto the street in front of Misato's house. Misato raced down the stairs, attracting Rei's attention with the loud clatter she was making. Rei followed Misato out to the street, getting to the sidewalk just in time to see Shinji lope off around the corner.

"Shinji, come back!" Misato screamed. She broke down into tears and fell to her knees.

"Please," she pleaded between sobs, "_Please_ Shinji, come back…"

Rei did her best to pull Misato to her feet and guide her back into the house. Misato cried herself to sleep that night, as did Rei.

Shinji raced through the streets of the City of Angels, trying to outrun his _own_ grief. He reached the downtown area of the city and stopped. Something seemed familiar to him.

_I know this street,_ he thought, _I've seen it before. This is the street I see in my dreams. Is this the night I keep dreaming about?_

Shinji heard a scream. It echoed for an eternal moment before it was forcibly cut off. Shinji's werewolf hearing pinpointed the source location in a heartbeat, and his body moved to transport him to that spot. He came to a red brick building.

_Seven stories tall_, Shinji noted,_ This is it._

Shinji pushed himself into the air and vaulted over the top edge of the building, landing solidly on the roof. On the far ledge, he saw a large figure holding something over its head. The figure was about as tall as Shinji's werewolf body, and looked to be only slightly lighter in build. It had thick, scaly skin and Shinji smelled a thick, sulfurous odor coming from it. The form that it was holding over its head looked like a woman. She was trying to struggle, but the creature's large, powerful talons held it tightly. It was preparing to throw her off. Shinji roared loudly, making the lizard-creature turn and face him in surprise.

Its eyes were glowing and red. Its mouth was filled with razor-looking fangs that looked capable of shredding a man to confetti in an instant. The creature uttered a horrible, hissing shriek that made Shinji's sensitive ears ache. His hands instinctively shot up to cover his ears.

"That's enough out of you," came a calm, male voice from behind Shinji.

Shinji turned around fast to see who had spoken. Standing there were two men, one was a bleached blonde wearing a long, leather coat, and one had dark, spiky-looking hair and was wearing a similar style of trench coat. With them was a woman who was blue; literally. Even in the dark, Shinji could see that her skin and hair had a bluish hue, as did her eyes; they were ice-colored. It had been the dark-haired one who had spoken. Shinji recognized his voice.

_The man from the answering machine,_ Shinji thought, _That's Angel._

The blonde man leaped forward, producing a broad sword from under his coat. Angel drew a battle axe and rushed forward. The woman merely joined in the fray, moving so fast that even Shinji's werewolf eyes had a hard time following her movement. After she had rescued the civilian and pulled her safely to the sidelines, the blue woman rejoined the battle and the three of them worked together, hacking and slicing the lizard-creature to pieces. Angel noticed Shinji standing stock still. He hadn't moved from the spot during the entire event. He had been in too much shock.

"Illyria," Angel said, "You didn't mention anything about a werewolf being here when you told us about your vision."

"That is because I did not _see_ a werewolf in my vision," the blue woman replied, her tone level and almost…_cold_, "Its appearance here is…unexpected."

"Well," the blonde piped up, his voice a thick, British accent, "I don't see the harm in takin' out a werewolf, eh? How 'bout it, Angel, got any silver on ya?"

"Let's find out whether it's friend or foe before we go hacking anything _else_ up, Spike," Angel said, holding up a hand. He walked over to where Shinji was standing.

"Can you understand me?" Angel asked.

Shinji nodded.

"Whose side you on?" Spike asked.

"_Spike_," Angel said testily, "How many times have I told you to shut _up_ when I'm trying to interview someone?"

"Who died an' made _you_ king of the bloody castle?" Spike drawled, "I'm just tryin' to get a straight answer out of 'im. You know, takin' the more _direct_ route, an' all that."

Shinji shed his werewolf form and became human again.

"How about I save you guys the trouble and just talk with you face-to-face?" he asked.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

"Bloody hell," Spike said softly, "He's just a kid."

"Hey," Shinji protested, "I'm eighteen years old! I'm not a _kid_."

"Yeah, well, most _men_ don't parade 'round in their _knickers_ at _night_ in the middle of the _city_," Spike countered.

"Give it a _rest_ already, Spike, _geez_!" Angel snapped, "Sorry. So, who are you?"

"My name's Shinji," Shinji replied, "Shinji Ikari. I was actually trying to _find_ you, Angel."

"You know who I am?" Angel asked.

"I know _of_ you," Shinji corrected him, "I know someone that you rescued once."

"Yeah, _that_ really narrows it down, dunnit?" Spike asked sarcastically.

"Be silent, Spike," Illyria said coldly, "Angel is not finished interrogating this person."

"Oi! Shut up, you!"

"Will _both_ of you knock it off?!" Angel demanded, "Who was it, Shinji?"

"I don't know if you'd remember her," Shinji said uncertainly, "Misato Katsuragi?"

"God, it _has_ been a while, hasn't it?" Angel said quietly, "Yeah, I remember her. A vampire killed her parents, if I remember right."

"That's right," Shinji said, "I'm living with her now, and…we could use your help with something."

"What is your difficulty?" Illyria asked. Suddenly, her voice seemed less cold.

"Well, as you've seen, I'm a werewolf," Shinji said, gaining a little bit of confidence, "But I've only really _been_ a werewolf, you know, transforming and all that, since my eighteenth birthday, which was just a few days ago. Since then, I've been looking for answers as to why that is, since I'm assuming that I've been a werewolf my whole _life_. What's worrying me is that since my birthday, Misato and I, as well as a friend of ours have been attacked. A few nights ago, it was another werewolf, and just tonight, we were attacked by a vampire who almost killed our friend."

"So, what do you need us for?" Angel asked, "You sound like you're more than capable of defending yourselves already."

"Defense isn't what we need," said Shinji, "I need answers. I need to know _why_ I am the way I am, _where_ my family roots come from, and _who_ is trying to kill me."

"D'you have any ideas about who's tryin' to have you offed?" Spike asked.

"Not many," Shinji replied, still feeling perplexed by this man's cavalier attitude towards everything, "The only group that I've ever received a real threat from is this cult I found info on over the Internet. They call themselves the…Moonwatchers Society, or something along those lines."

"The Council of Moonwatchers," Angel said, correcting Shinji's nomenclature error, "They're almost as well connected as Wolfram and Hart."

"The law firm?" Shinji asked, disbelieving, "They're connected in the occult world?"

"They pretty much _are_ the occult world," said Angel with a scowl, "We've been fighting against them for years. We've lost some good friends as a result. It's down to just the three of us, now."

"The way it bloody _should_ be," Spike chimed in.

"The Council is dangerous," Angel continued, "Don't underestimate them, and _definitely_ don't do anything to piss them off unless you're prepared for a real war. They've dedicated their entire existence as a collective to the research and extermination of werewolves. Are there any other people or organizations that you suspect of trying to have you killed?"

"I just moved to L.A. last week!" Shinji exclaimed, "I don't even have that many _friends_ yet!"

"Jus' take it easy, lad," said Spike calmly, "He's gotta ask the questions is all."

"Yes," Illyria chimed in, "you have nothing to fear from us, unless your intentions are hostile. If that is the case, we will show you no mercy."

"Way to calm the poor kid down, Miss Tact," Spike said sarcastically.

"How about you come back to our offices with us, and we'll talk it over there?" Angel suggested.

"What if another vampire shows up at the house while I'm away?" Shinji asked, worry surfacing in his voice, "I can't get back there to protect them."

"They're safe in the house, as long as they don't invite it in," Angel answered, "A vampire can't enter a house where it's not welcome."

"That's…why Misato had to invite _you_ in," Shinji said quietly, realizing the truth. Then, a little louder, he added, "_You're_ a vampire…_aren't_ you?"

"We both are," said Spike, "Angel and I. He's my grand-sire."

"Why haven't the two of you tried to kill me yet?" Shinji asked, confused, "If you're vampires, you should be trying to kill me right now, shouldn't you?"

"They are different," said Illyria matter-of-factly, "They have been given souls. At one time, they were both creatures of unspeakable evil who wreaked mass slaughter across the whole of Europe and much of Asia. Angel was known by the name Angelus, called 'the demon with an angel's face'. The only thing that has changed about Spike is his hair color."

"Oi!" Spike interjected. Illyria continued, undaunted.

"After a period of several decades, Angelus was cursed by gypsies with a soul, as a means of penance for all of the atrocities he had committed. Spike entered the demon trials and fought to _win_ a soul. They are, indeed, vampires, young werewolf. But they are something else, as well. They are champions of the side of light."

"Ah," said Shinji simply.

"Yeah," Spike drawled, "No one _else_ we told it to believed us, either."

"It _is_ a little hard to believe," Shinji admitted, "but I'm willing to go on a little faith, here. Now, if you don't mind me asking, what's _her_ story?"

"She's, uh—," Angel began.

"I require no man to speak for me," Illyria interrupted proudly, "I am Illyria, one of the Old Ones. Long before the time of men, I was the commander of a great army and ruler of an empire that conquered half of the known dimensions. Then, after many millennia of imprisonment in the Deeper Well, a group of mortals conspired to secure my release. My sarcophagus was taken to the offices of Wolfram and Hart, where I escaped and inhabited a mortal's body. My essence overtook her and she died, leaving her body an empty shell. Angel and his allies had to find a way to remove some of my near infinite power, or else I would detonate and tear reality asunder. Still, they harbored ill feelings towards me, since the body I had inhabited had belonged to one of their close friends. However, once they realized that she was not coming back and that I would be a valuable ally in their cause, some of the animosity dissipated."

"Yeah, well," Spike said, "I still haven't forgot the beatings you gave me in the early days of our association."

"I merely proved my superiority over you, Spike," Illyria retorted coolly, "That is all."

"How did you move so fast earlier, Illyria?" Shinji asked, "I mean, my eyes are ten times sharper as a werewolf, and I _still_ could barely follow you."

"She's a time-bender," Angel said quickly, "Back in the first days of our association with her, Illyria could actually _freeze_ time, giving her the illusion of super speed. When we drained her, though, she lost the power to freeze time. In recent months, she's started showing signs of being able to alter her own _personal_ time-space, making her move much faster than physically possible."

"Ah," Shinji said again, still confused, "So…let me see if I've got this straight. Angel and Spike are vampires who have souls, and Illyria is an Old One, which I'm _assuming_ is some manner of demon--,"

"Correct," Illyria interrupted.

"And you all fight on the side of good," Shinji finished, "Sure. Why not? After all, _I'm_ a werewolf who's only _been_ a werewolf since my eighteenth birthday, I'm in love with a woman who's almost ten years my _senior_, and I've got _another_ girl that's in love with me who was _originally_ arranged to be the girl I was _supposed_ to fall in love with in the _first_ place, but I didn't, and now I'm talking with you all here on a rooftop in the _middle_ of the night after killing a vampire and--,"

"Slow down and take a breath, mate," Spike said, "Bloody _hell_. I haven't heard a run-on like _that_ since…"

"Fred," Angel finished, "I know, Spike. I still miss her, too."

"She tried to help de-ghost me, way back when," Spike said nostalgically.

"I'm sorry," Shinji interrupted, "but…_who_ are you talking about?"

"Winnifred Burkle," Illyria answered, "This body that I inhabit. She was their friend. There are times when I feel…remorse…over depriving them of her."

"As bloody well you should!" Spike snapped, "She was the cheeriest little ball of life you _ever_ did see, and you bloody _killed_ her!"

"Easy, Spike!" Angel shouted, "I know how you feel, okay? Fred was _my_ friend, too, and I knew her longer than _you_ did. Just let it go, alright?"

"Yeah, yeah," Spike replied resentfully, "I jus'… I jus' miss her's all, you know?"

Angel nodded. Shinji heard a moan. The group all looked around at the woman that Illyria had saved from the lizard-creature. She was stirring, but she still looked pretty beaten up.

"Shinji," Angel said, "Do you know how to get to the nearest hospital from here?"

"Yeah," Shinji replied, "Why?"

"Because she still needs medical attention, and you can carry her there faster than any of us."

"What about Illyria?" Shinji asked, "I mean, if she can bend time for herself, shouldn't _she_ be able to move faster than me?"

"My abilities are still limited," Illyria replied, shaking her head, "It drains me to alter time too often. Your endurance and speed are more constant than my own. She depends upon _you_ now."

"I'll try," Shinji said. Then, he transformed back into a werewolf and scooped the woman up over his one shoulder. He took a running leap over the side of the building and landed lithely on the pavement seven stories below. Shinji galloped to the emergency room of the city hospital and left her outside the door, and then left quickly. In a few moments, an orderly happened near the door and saw her lying outside. He called for a stretcher and doctor. Shinji watched these events unfold from a nearby alley with a smile on his face. He had just helped to save a stranger's life. There was something…rewarding about the experience. He looked up, sensing a presence watching him. Above him on the roof of one of the buildings stood Angel, Spike and Illyria. Angel was looking down at him with an almost fatherly smile adorning his features.

Shinji climbed up the side of the building, using his strong claws to dig into the brick. Soon, he stood up next to Angel and his crew and looked down at the hospital doors. Shinji reverted to humanity.

"You probably just saved that girl's life," Angel remarked.

"Yeah," Shinji replied, "it feels…good. I mean, I've saved lives as a werewolf before, but she's a total stranger. I've never saved a total stranger's life before."


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Shinji and Team Angel continued their vigil on the rooftop for another five minutes or so before Shinji finally said:

"I should go. I need to go home and apologize to Misato and Rei."

"What for?" Spike asked.

Angel looked like he was about to say something. Shinji cut him off.

"I said some things…that need to be repaired," said Shinji, "I know that now. Why don't you come along? I'm sure everyone would like to meet you, since we were planning on coming into the city tomorrow _anyway_ to find your offices, and…I _really_ don't want to face them both alone, you know?"

"I dunno," Angel replied, "Guys? What do you say?"

"Can't see any harm," Spike answered.

"I agree," said Illyria.

"All right, let's get to the car," Angel said.

The group moved over the rooftops for about a block and a half before dropping to the pavement near a large, black car.

"Shotgun!" Spike called.

"Nice car," Shinji remarked, "Impala, right?"

"That's right," said Angel with a grin, "You like cars?"

"Love 'em," Shinji answered, climbing into the back seat, "In fact, I used to do some work on them, back in one of my old foster homes."

"Foster homes?" Spike repeated, "You're an orphan?"

"I'm a ward of the state," Shinji corrected him, "My _mother's_ dead, sure. My dad just…gave me up. He didn't want me anymore."

"I'm sorry," Angel said, pulling out away from the curb, "I know what it's like to have problems with your father."

"You do?" Shinji asked.

"Yeah," Angel replied, "I do. My father and the rest of my family were among the first people that I killed as Angelus. I really don't want to go into my history of bloodshed and evil, so…let's just leave it at that. You got a car of your own?"

"Sure do," Shinji replied.

"What do you drive?"

"'77 Stingray," Shinji answered, "Black, hard-top, fixed it up myself."

"Blimey," Spike said, "I guess we've got ourselves a bloody mechanic here."

Shinji leaned over to Illyria.

"Is he _always_ this obnoxious?" he whispered.

"No," Illyria answered, "Usually he is much worse."

Shinji chuckled. Up in the front seat, Spike scowled.

"Why does everyone always give me such a bloody hard time?" he asked petulantly, "Am I _really_ such a bad bloke?"

"If you weren't such a jackass, maybe more people might respect you a little bit more," said Angel cuttingly, "I've tried to tell you that for _years_, but do you ever listen to me?"

Shinji had a feeling that he knew the answer to that particular question. Angel pulled up to a stop light and turned his head around.

"Where are we headed, Shinji?"

"Suburbs," Shinji replied, "Just past Jackson Avenue."

"You live that far from here?" Angel asked, "How'd you get this far into the city without a car? Oh wait, you're a werewolf. I forgot. Sorry."

"Yeah," said Shinji, "So this Angelus character, is he, like…_gone_?"

"No," Angel replied darkly, "He's still hidden deep under the surface."

"If Angel experiences a moment of perfect happiness, he will lose his soul and Angelus will re-emerge," Illyria added.

"Yeah, bloody shame, that," Spike drawled, "Cause then we'd have to stake 'im."

"Has it ever happened before?" Shinji asked.

"You mean, has Angel ever lost his soul because he got too happy?" Spike asked.

"Yeah."

"Once or twice," Spike replied with a chuckle.

"And he's still alive?" Shinji asked, "How? I thought you'd stake him if he turned evil again."

"Don't get me wrong, mate. I would've," Spike said, "But his old girlfriend went all weepy-eyed and had her witch friend try to put his soul _back_."

"Obviously she succeeded," Shinji observed.

"Obviously," said Angel, "Could we, you know…get _off_ of the subject of me for a while? I _hate_ talking about me all the time."

"Why should we?" Spike chuckled, "I mean you're just _sooo_ interestin' an' deep an' multi-layered an'--,"

"Shut up, Spike!" the other three occupants of the Impala shouted in unison.

Fifteen minutes later, the Impala arrived at its destination: Misato's large house in the suburbs. As Shinji and his new friends disembarked, he turned to Angel and Spike and said:

"Just so we're clear, you two are invited in, so just walk in nice and normal. Okay?"

"Sure," Angel replied.

"Whatever," said Spike nonchalantly.

"What of me?" Illyria asked, "I do not look like a normal human."

"Do that ol' switcharoo that you do," said Spike.

"You know that Angel does not like it when I assume the form of Burkle," Illyria protested.

"Just do it this time, Illyria," Angel said resolutely, "I don't think that a blue woman would go over too well with these people right now."

"Very well," said Illyria.

Shinji watched as her form swirled and changed to a slim, bright-eyed young woman. She had long, dark-brown hair and soft, cow-like eyes. She also had a smile that looked so warm that it might melt glaciers.

"This is…what Fred looked like?" Shinji asked, struck by her innocence and beauty.

"Yeah," Spike replied, "Pretty, wasn't she?"

"Yeah, she was," Shinji agreed, "I won't ask too much about her. It's not hard to see that her memory still haunts you all. I respect that."

Angel and Spike nodded. Shinji pulled out his keys (he had dressed before they had gotten into Angel's car) and slid one into the front door. Quietly as he could, Shinji pushed the door open and crept over the threshold. Team Angel soon followed. Shinji was amazed at how quietly they all moved.

"Very swank," Spike murmured, "This girl of yours, Misato, she does pretty well for herself, then?"

"Well enough," Shinji replied, "OOF! Oh, shit."

There was a loud crash. Shinji had accidentally walked into a small table while he was distracted talking to Spike. The table tipped over, making a large clattering sound. Shinji heard running footfalls from upstairs.

"Who's there?" Misato yelled from the top of the stairs, "I warn you: I'm armed!"

"I didn't expect _this_ cold of a reception when I got back to apologize," Shinji responded. He heard a gasp.

"Shinji?!" Misato shrieked, "You're back?! Oh, god!"

Shinji had enough time to take a breath before Misato was down the stairs and crushing the life out of him with an enthusiastic bear-hug. Shinji felt his back and ribs crack and pop several times as Misato squeezed him. Awkwardly, Shinji returned the hug.

"Shinji, sweetheart, Rei and I have been so worried!" Misato gushed, "I mean, she and I cried ourselves to sleep tonight because of what you said and the way you stormed out, but we still love you and we're sorry that we plotted that way! Can you ever, ever, _ever_ forgive us?"

"We'll talk this over in a little while, baby," Shinji replied, "We have company."

"Who are--?" Misato started to ask, looking at the three people behind Shinji.

"This is Spike, Illyria, and--,"

"Angel," Misato finished breathlessly, ignoring Shinji's introduction, "You haven't _changed_. You look just like I remember. How can that be?"

"She didn't know?" Spike realized, "Crikey."

"Didn't know what?" Misato asked, confused, "What's going on?"

"Misato, don't freak out when I tell you this," Shinji said cautiously, "But Angel, the guy who saved you from a vampire, as well as his friend Spike, are vampires."

"WHAT?!"

"Calm down, Misato," Shinji said urgently.

"Calm _down_?!" Misato sputtered incredulously, "You let a couple of blood-suckers into my _house_ and turn your _back_ on them and you're telling me _calm down_?!"

"Yes!" Shinji shouted, "They're not evil! They've got souls!"

"They're still _vampires_!" Misato spat, "I don't care if they've got wings and a _halo_, they're still _demons_ who _kill_ people!"

"Actually, we're demons who kill _demons_, nowadays," Spike chimed in.

"You still _kill_," Misato said shortly.

"So do I, if you'll remember," Shinji murmured out of the side of his mouth.

"You're different," Misato protested, "I _know_ you, Shinji. I _don't_ know these people. That's the difference."

"I won't deny that I've killed people," Angel said calmly, "But Spike and I aren't who we used to be. We're older, wiser—well, _I'm_ wiser--"

"Will you get off your bloody high-horse, you stupid git?!" Spike snapped.

"Do you two _always_ go after each other like this?" Misato asked, beginning to feel annoyed at this pair's childish antics.

"Well, usually, they're a lot worse," piped up the skinny girl in a rich, Texas accent, "Hi, I'm Fred."

Illyria extended her hand to Misato. Misato, surprised at the presence of such a sweet-seeming girl amid blood-drinking monsters, shook hands with her. As Misato gripped the girl's hand, she noticed something.

"You're hand's like _ice_, Fred!" Misato gasped.

"Oh," Illyria chuckled, "It's just a little cool out tonight is all. I'm fine, really."

"Are you sure?" Misato asked, her face a mask of concern, "Because I could go and start on some coffee or tea, if you'd like something warm to drink."

"I wouldn' say no to a cold one if you're offerin'," said Spike.

"Spike!" Angel chided.

"No, it's okay," Misato replied, "I'm still not _completely_ sure I trust you two, but if Shinji vouches for you, that's good enough for me."

"Thanks," said Angel.

"Yeah, it means a lot," Illyria replied.

"There's someone else coming," Angel said, tensing up slightly and looking around.

"That'll be Rei," Shinji replied, "We're in here, Rei!"

"Shinji? Is that you?" Rei gasped, coming into the room where the group was standing, "God, we've been—,"

"Yeah, I got the 'we've been worried' gush from Misato already," Shinji said, cutting her off, "Rei, I'd like you to meet Angel, Spike and Fred."

"Charmed," Rei replied politely.

"Just stay relaxed and don't panic when I explain this to you. Okay, Rei?" Shinji asked.

"Explain what, Shinji?" Rei asked, confused.

"Angel and Spike aren't human," said Shinji.

"They look human to me."

"They're not," said Shinji again, "Guys, I think it's time we all put on our real faces. You too, Illyria."

Shinji transformed. Fred's exterior faded back into Illyria's blue color. Angel and Spike each let out a low growl and changed, as well. The change took place in their faces. The ridges of their eyes raised, giving them a frightful, angry glare. Their eyes turned yellow and seemed to almost glow in the dark. Their nostrils flared and their lips curled back in identical sneer-like masks. Most noticeable, however, was the fact that the front six teeth on the top rows of their jaws had elongated and become razor-sharp fangs. Rei let out a muffled cry. Shinji resumed human form quickly and held her.

"This is…what they really look like?" Rei asked, shivering mightily in Shinji's arms.

"We're still us," Angel said, "This is just what we look like on the inside. These are our bad sides; the sides we don't really like to show."

"Speak only for yourself, Angel," said Illyria, "This is as close to my true form as this mortal shell can emulate."

"I thought you quit calling Fred your 'shell'," Spike said, irked.

"It slipped out," Illyria replied humbly, "I apologize."

Angel and Spike returned to a form passing for human again. Rei marveled at their facial transformations.

"Does it hurt?" she asked.

"Does _what_ hurt?" Angel replied.

"Your face doing that…_grr_ thing," Rei responded, "It looks like it's uncomfortable."

"It comes natural when you're a vampire," said Spike.

"Ever the blunt instrument, eh, Spike?" Angel asked sarcastically.

"Are you callin' me dull-witted?"

"Not at all," Angel replied unconvincingly, "I'm just saying that with all of your _boundless_ amounts of tact and linguistic skill, you surely could have found a _gentler_ way of breaking the truth to a frightened girl. That's all."

"You know what?" Spike growled, pointing a menacing finger in Angel's direction, "One o' these days, I'm gonna _stake_ your sorry arse, just for shits an' giggles!"

"_God_, do I need a _drink_," Misato groaned.


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

**Author's Warning: This chapter contains some pretty graphic violence. Consider yourselves warned.**

A few minutes later, the group were all sitting in Misato's living room sipping on tea, coffee, or, in Misato and Spike's case, beer. Shinji, with some supplemental info from Angel, told Misato and Rei about the fight with the lizard-creature.

"It was enormous," Shinji said in reference to the creature, "It had large, red eyes, _huge_ arm muscles, and vicious-looking fangs."

"What _was_ it?" Rei asked, fully rapt with attention.

"A Hashk-iroth demon," Angel answered, "They're a reptile-like species that thrives on causing mayhem and death. What's confusing me is that they rarely hunt alone. Hashk-iroth usually travel in small packs; two, three, or sometimes even four. Where are the other pack members?"

"I could help you sniff 'em out," Shinji volunteered, "All I need is a sample of their blood to start with."

"Shinji, are you _sure_ you want to be chasing after lizard demons?" Misato asked, "That sounds really dangerous."

"It _will_ be dangerous, Misato," Shinji replied, "That's a given. But this Hashk-i-something demon almost _killed_ someone tonight. I can't sit idly by while there might be _more_ of them out there doing the exact same _thing_."

"Well spoken, young man," said Illyria, "You speak like a true champion."

"I don't know about _champion_," said Shinji, blushing a little bit, "I just don't like to see innocent people hurt for no good reason, that's all."

"Just be careful," Misato conceded, "Come back to me alive."

"Always," Shinji promised, "You and Rei look out for each other, okay?"

Misato nodded. Shinji noticed tears threatening to brim over in her eyes. He smiled gently at her.

"I'll be home in a little while, baby," Shinji said quietly, "I promise."

"Shinji!" Misato gasped, leaping into his embrace again. She clung desperately to Shinji, pressing her face into his shoulder. Shinji felt extremely awkward, yet at the same time, protective.

"Don't cry, Misato," Shinji whispered gently, "I'll be home soon."

Shinji released Misato and stood up.

"Let's go," he said. Angel, Spike and Illyria stood up.

"Thanks for the beer," said Spike. Then, the four heroes walked out to the door and left. Team Angel piled into the Impala. Shinji headed for the garage to get his Stingray. When he pulled it out into the street, Angel whistled appreciatively.

"Nice," he said.

"Thanks," Shinji said, leaning his head out the window, "We can discuss the size of our engines later. Let's go hunt some demons. I've got a couple of ladies waiting for me to come home."

Spike laughed. Angel nodded with a smile on his face. Illyria maintained her stony, unamused face. The two cars returned to the building block where they had killed the Hashk-iroth. On top of the building where they had thrown down with the creature, the group found the scattered remains.

"All right, Fido," Spike drawled, "Do your stuff."

"I'd say 'bite me'," Shinji replied, "but you'd probably take it to heart and do it."

This made Angel and Spike chuckle as Shinji transformed. Once transformed, Shinji walked over to one of the mangled pieces of the corpse and took several long, deep sniffs of the blood and body parts. Shinji smeared some of the black, oily blood of the Hashk-iroth demon onto his clawed fingers and sniffed it closely to his nose. After taking these experimental samples of demon scent, Shinji was confident that he could sort the scent out from the background. He turned to Angel and nodded.

"He's got them," said Angel, "Lead on, Shinji."

Shinji sprang off the side of the building and landed on the street below. As he loped off, following the scent, he heard his three companions racing along behind him. Shinji grinned to himself when he heard Spike say:

"_Bugger_, this kid's _fast_!"

Shinji wound his way through the alleys and side streets of downtown Los Angeles. Every corner he turned brought a stronger cloud of the Hashk-iroth scent to his nostrils. He turned one more corner and…

"Dead end," Angel panted, "This is a blind alleyway. Shinji, are you sure this is the right way?"

Shinji growled and started to turn slowly on the spot. Once again, he was using his sense of smell as a sort of radar system. His nose led him down to ground level, where he discovered a sewer entrance. He dug his talons in around the edges and heaved it up. Along with a mixture of extremely foul odors, Shinji reacquired the Hashk-iroth's scent trail.

"This is it," Shinji said, returning to human form.

"You wanna come along for the kill?" Angel asked.

"I dunno," Shinji said, "I mean, I promised Misato that I'd get home in one piece and I watched how hard you guys fought when there was only _one_ of those things."

"Which is why we will need your help this time," said Illyria, "There may be at least two more Hashk-iroth demons lying in wait for us in the tunnels. Your claws and fangs will be a great asset."

"It might even be a little bit fun," Spike added.

"You guys are gonna get me in _so_ much trouble," Shinji muttered, jumping down into the man-hole.

"That's what we're here for, mate," Spike replied, "Now get your fur coat back on."

_He just keeps pushing,_ Shinji thought angrily as he transformed, _I'm not a damned _circus_ dog to be put through its paces! I'm a werewolf. But he's treating me like a goddamn _pet!

Shinji reacquired the scent trail and loped off through the sewer tunnels. He had to focus hard to block out the smells that surrounded him and threatened to make him vomit. He wondered how anything could stand to live in this place. Finally, he led the group to a large antechamber where the smell dead-ended again.

"There's no other ways out of this room," Angel observed, "But there're plenty of places to hide. Stay alert."

No sooner had Angel spoken than three Hashk-iroth demons dropped from the rafters above them. Swords were drawn, and the battle began. Illyria and Shinji each took one demon while Spike and Angel teamed up against the third. Shinji was concerned for his new friends but he couldn't worry about them while he had a mad, slavering monster intent on ripping him to shreds.

Shinji engaged the Hashk-iroth hand-to-hand, or, in this case, claw-to-claw. The Hashk-iroth snapped its powerful jaws, sinking its sharp teeth deeply into Shinji's shoulder. Shinji howled with pain and anger. One of his massive, furry fists connected with the side of the demon's head, sending it sprawling. Shinji pounced on top of it and started slashing at it with his clawed hands. Thick, black blood began to spray everywhere. Shinji started getting more and more excited as he smelled the freshly pouring blood. He roared and sank his fangs into the Hashk-iroth's neck. He tasted the demon blood as it poured over his teeth and bathed his tongue. It didn't have the same salty sweetness that Rei's blood had had when he bit her in the hospital. The Hashk-iroth's blood was spicy. It had a very peppery, acidic flavor that Shinji found distasteful.

As distasteful as the flavor was, having blood in his mouth made him crave more. He sank his sharp fangs into the demon's neck again and again, until he realized that the demon's blood was no longer flowing. It was dead. Shinji looked around at the fights still going on. Neither Illyria, nor Angel and Spike had defeated their opponents. Shinji wondered how they could be so slow and inefficient at killing. The three of them had all had the experience of centuries at the killing game. They must have lost their stomach for it, Shinji's werewolf mind decided.

_I guess that means it's up to me._

Shinji roared again and dove at the Hashk-iroth nearest to him, nearly tackling Illyria in the process. He slashed and bit at the demon, tearing its body to shreds. His next target was Spike and Angel's Hashk-iroth. He threw himself into the fray, narrowly avoiding a wound by Spike's broadsword. The demon tried to bite at Shinji's neck, only to have one of his massive werewolf fists plunged into its throat. Shinji gripped the back of the demon's thick, forked tongue and pulled. With a shriek of pain, the Hashk-iroth's tongue came free of its mouth. Shinji's fanged mouth began snapping at every inch of the demon that he could reach. Finally, with a snarl, he sank his fangs into the hapless Hashk-iroth's neck, delivering the killing bite. Shinji climbed to his feet and threw his head back and howled with victory.

Shinji sensed movement near him and whipped around and saw Angel and Spike. For a moment, Shinji looked at them and wanted _their_ blood, as well. Fortunately for Angel and Spike, Shinji's human will re-exerted itself and tamed his bloodlust. Shinji reverted to human form and stood, covered in demon blood. The taste in his mouth was vile. Shinji ran to a hidden spot behind a crate and vomited.

"You okay, kid?" Spike called.

"I…uuugghhhh….think so," Shinji replied between heaves, "What happened to me?"

"Who knows?" Spike answered, "An' who cares? You were bloody _brilliant_ righ' there."

"I tasted their blood and I think…I _liked_ it," Shinji groaned, standing back up.

Angel looked concerned, but said nothing. The quartet returned to the surface and Shinji returned to his werewolf form. Spike looked confused. Then, Shinji shook himself, sending demon blood spraying everywhere.

"Thanks a lot," Angel grumbled, brushing off his leather coat.

"It will come out in the wash," Illyria said coolly.

"Was that a joke?" Spike asked, amazed.

"It was not intended to be," Illyria answered, "I was merely stating a fact."

"Guys, I'm going home," Shinji said, "Misato and Rei are still waiting for me."

"Take care, Shinji," said Angel, "Get that shoulder looked at."

"I heal really fast," Shinji laughed, waving a hand, "All I need is a good night's sleep and a little T.L.C. from Misato and I'll be good as new. See ya."

Shinji jogged off down the streets. He found his way back to the Corvette, just as he heard voices approaching.

"Look what we got here, _hombres_," said one of the men. From his accent, Shinji guessed that he was of Latino descent.

"Looks like a little, lost, white boy," said another. The gang all laughed. Shinji heard another chuckle: "Look at what he's wearin', man. He's tryin' to make a fashion statement."

Another voice spoke up. This one belonged to a large, muscular man of African descent.

"Don' matter _what_ the fool's _wearin_'. He's on _our_ turf. Unless he asks real nice, he's gon' lose that pretty lil car."

"And if I _don't_ ask real nice?" Shinji replied, as the gang surrounded him.

"Then we _kill_ yo crack ass an' take yo car anyhow!" the black man shouted, "What's it gon' be?"

"You can take my car," Shinji said. The gang chattered triumphantly.

"Over my…dead…body," Shinji growled. The gang laughed harder.

"If that's the way you wan' it, _estúpido_," the Mexican said.

Shinji smiled evilly as the gang closed in. He let them get within striking distance before unleashing his werewolf side on them. Many of the grown men screamed like ten-year-old girls as Shinji's large, shaggy form revealed itself. The gang's leader drew a desert eagle handgun and fired, practically point-blank, into Shinji's abdomen. The bullet passed through Shinji's body, leaving little trace it had even entered. Such a small wound could heal itself almost instantaneously. Shinji pounced on the gun-wielder and grabbed him by the throat. He threw the man across the road, watching with sick satisfaction as he hit a lamppost and crumpled to the pavement. Shinji whipped around and slashed at two more of the gang members with his claws. Deep gouges appeared in the chests of the men. Their blood spilled onto the roadway. Shinji felt his bloodlust rising again as he smelled the blood that he knew was human and sweet. He felt himself starting to drool with anticipation and knew that he might kill someone if he wasn't careful and ended the fight quickly. Shinji threw his head back and roared mightily. The remaining gang members scattered like roaches when the lights come on.

Shinji quickly returned to humanity and jumped in his car. He sped away down the street, wondering if any of the gang members might report him. Not likely, as he reasoned that none of the gang members would have clean rap-sheets or go willingly to the police. No, it was more likely that he had just created a reputation for himself among the city's underworld. Shinji smirked as he thought about it.

_The Mad Werewolf,_ he thought with satisfaction, _that's me. Be afraid, punks. Be very afraid, and don't mess with me _or_ my friends._


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Shinji pulled into the garage and turned off the car. He fought down the urge to retch for the umpteenth time that night. There was only one thing that he could think to do; brush his teeth and gargle with enough mouthwash to drown a horse. _Any_thing to get rid of the horrible taste of the demon blood.

Shinji stepped into the house and was almost immediately greeted by Misato and Rei who stepped up, hugged him tightly and kissed him on both cheeks. Shinji hugged Rei back, since she was the one on the side of his good arm. Misato looked hurt when Shinji didn't hug _her_ back and decided to squeeze him tighter. The added pressure on his arm made him yell in pain.

"AHH! God dammit, Misato!" he yelled, "Easy on the shoulder!"

"Oh, god, baby, I'm sorry," Misato gasped, "What happened?"

"One of the Hashk-iroth demons bit me," Shinji replied, still grimacing in pain.

"Does he need a doctor?" Rei asked.

"Me? Nah," Shinji replied with a pained smile, "All I need is to brush my teeth, gargle _heavily_ with some mouthwash, and go to bed. A good night's sleep and I'll be good as new."

"Great. Wait--mouthwash?" Misato asked, "Why mouthwash?"

"I, uh…sorta…got some blood in my mouth," Shinji admitted quietly, "demon blood. It tasted nasty and it made me puke and I really want to get that taste out of my mouth as soon as possible… so…yeah. And…I should probably mention this now: I went into a bloodlust induced killing frenzy when I tasted it and tore the other Hashk-iroth demons to pieces."

Misato and Rei gaped at him. Shinji's head sank to his chest.

"You mean, the taste of blood made you crazy and kill things, and _then_ puke?" Misato asked.

"When I turned human again, yeah," Shinji replied, "I don't really understand it right now, and, quite frankly, it scares me _spit_less. I just want to get cleaned up, bandage my shoulder, wash my mouth out, and get some sleep. That is, if I can even _fall_ asleep."

"Why can't you fall asleep?" Rei asked.

"Look at me, Rei," Shinji said, holding up his good arm, "Look at how badly I'm shaking! You know what this is? It's an adrenaline crush, the biggest one I've ever had in my life so far. I'm so jazzed up right now that I feel like I could stay awake for the rest of the month!"

"Then…maybe you need someone to relax you," Misato murmured in Shinji's ear.

"Sweetheart, we have a guest in the house," Shinji mumbled in reply, expecting this to cool Misato's libido.

"Rei, you won't mind if I take Shinji upstairs, will you?" Misato asked, winking at her.

"No, go ahead," Rei yawned calmly, waving a hand and starting to head for the living room, "Just try not to make _too_ much noise, please? I'm gonna try to go to sleep."

"G'night, Rei," Misato said cheerfully. Then, before Shinji had a chance to say so much as "What the hell", he was being pulled by the hand up the stairs towards their bedrooms, a confused look plastered across his face.

"You said you needed a shower, sweetie?" Misato asked.

"Yeah," Shinji said absently, "Misato, why did you as good as _tell_ Rei that you wanted to have sex with me? You _know_ how she feels about me."

"Yeah, I do," Misato said seriously, "I _damn_ well do, because I'm partially to _blame_ for how she feels about you. Shinji, before I came to pick you up, I showed Rei the picture of you that was in your file. I _wish_ you could have seen her eyes light up, Shinji, she was so _cute_. While she was looking at you, I saw her cheeks flush so pink that she looked like…well, I don't know—but she was still _so_ unbelievably cute! I mean, if I swung that way when I first met her, I would have just eaten her up! Oh, for the love of God, stop me please. Anyway, that's when we made our plan."

"The day you picked me up," Shinji mused reminiscently, "You were late coming to get me."

"Yes, I was."

"You said you got caught in an accident on the freeway," said Shinji, "But you didn't, _did_ you? You were late because your planning session with Rei ran longer than you thought it would. You've lied to me from day one."

"Well, I couldn't very well say: 'Hey, guess what. I've set you up with a random girl in my neighborhood who fell in love with your picture', now could I?" Misato asked, "That would have just made _me_ look stupid, and made _you_ slow to trust me."

"Yeah, and _lying_ to me is a _great_ way to build _trust_!" Shinji sneered, "Misato, what _happened_ to you? You used to be so honest and open with me. Were you _ever_ honest with me about _anything_?"

"Yes, Shinji, I was," Misato replied, "Those nights we were together, and I told you that you were the best lover I had ever had? I _meant_ that; with _all_ my heart. That time, after Kaji attacked us, when I told you that I would always be able to trust you with my life? I meant that, too. And I meant it when I said that I was sorry for lying to you about our plot, Rei and me, to get you to fall for her. She fell in love with you, and I wasn't _ready_ to try to love again. It had only been a couple of weeks since my last boyfriend left me for another girl. I was still lost and lonesome. I was so selfish. Yes, Shinji. I don't deny that I've lied to you. I _can't_ deny it. I know that I've hurt you, and I know that I've shattered your trust. I'll say again that I'm sorry for ever treating you like this. I concocted this plan with the best of intentions."

"And we all know what the road to _hell_ is paved with," Shinji added cynically.

"The best of intentions," Misato said again, "Right. Shinji…"

"Shh," Shinji soothed, "Misato, for the first time in quite a while, I feel like you're being _completely_ honest with me. You were right. You _did_ lie to me, and you _did_ hurt me—,"

"I'm sorry," Misato whimpered quietly, bowing her head and beginning to cry.

"You also hurt Rei," Shinji continued, "I'm sure you've realized this, too. Despite the best intentions you may have had in trying to put the two of us together, you must see now that what you did was wrong. Love isn't something that can be forced or arranged. Trying to arrange a seduction scenario between Rei and me only resulted in Rei losing her virginity in a one-night-stand. _Yes_, she and I are still friends, and _no_ she doesn't regret it or hold it against you, but the fact still remains that _you_ arranged it. I can forgive betrayals of _my_ trust. It's happened to me enough times that I've developed a rather thick skin to it. What I _cannot_ and _will_ not forgive, not immediately, is the betrayal of trust that leads to the emotional scarring of another, more innocent person; Rei. That result, more than any other, has shattered my trust in you right now, Misato. Can there be love without trust?"

Misato was silent, except for her sobs. She knew what the only answer was, and it wasn't one that she was willing to face. Shinji turned away from Misato and walked towards the bathroom. He stopped in the doorway and looked back at her.

"I'm leaving on a trip tomorrow," Shinji said sadly, "and I'm travelling alone. I want to find out where I come from, and I think that I know some people who can help me. I'm sorry."

"How—how long will you be gone?" Misato hiccupped.

"I don't know," Shinji said quietly, "Not too long, I hope. I've started to like it here in Los Angeles. I just need to know, and I need time to let things heal."

Shinji turned away again and closed the bathroom door. After a quick shower to wash away the dried blood and stench of demon, Shinji went over to his bedroom without another word to Misato and laid down on his bed. Even though it was the middle of the summer, his sheets felt strangely cold. And, for the first time since he had moved into Misato's house, his room felt overwhelmingly large, empty, and cold. Shinji wanted badly to call out to Misato, to have her come to him, to have her next to him. But he held himself back. If he called out to Misato now, he would undermine everything he had just said to her. As lonely as he knew it would be, Shinji resolutely decided to tough it out.

He closed his eyes and tried to fall asleep. It was so difficult as to be unbelievable. His sharpened werewolf ears, even in human form, were sensitive enough at night that he could hear Misato crying over in her bedroom. Shinji tried to block her out, only to pick up on another sound in the house. This one cut him just as deep, maybe deeper than the sound of Misato crying; Rei was crying, as well. Shinji fought back against his own anguish, gritting his teeth and growling quietly. It was to no avail. Slowly, yet surely, hot tears began to slide down the sides of his face and onto his pillow.

"I have to get out of here," Shinji whispered to his empty room, closing his burning eyes.

_Where will you go?_ a part of his mind asked.

_I don't know,_ Shinji answered it, _I just have to be away from here._

_They will want to go with you,_ his mind said.

_They can't_, Shinji protested, _I have to leave them here._

_How do you know they will still _love_ you when you return?_ his mind asked viciously.

_I don't_, Shinji answered, _Maybe Misato will find someone else who won't be a monster or treat her the way I have. I almost hope she _does_. She deserves that kind of happy life. _I_ can't give that to her._

Shinji noticed that his vision wasn't black emptiness anymore. He was standing on a gray cloud, surrounded by the night sky, facing a shaggy hulk. He was talking to his werewolf half. Shinji looked quizzically at his shaggy, more savage half. The dog-like being returned the look, mirroring Shinji's move and looking like a confused puppy.

_Have I been talking to _you_ the whole time?_ Shinji asked, confused, _Who _are_ you?_

_Who do you think I am?_ the Shinji-wolf replied, _I am _you._ You're talking to yourself. Doesn't that make you 'crazy'?_

The werewolf's mouth moved, but Shinji's voice came out of it. Shinji found the whole experience unnerving, but continued on.

_I know that you're my other half,_ Shinji said, _But what is your name?_

_Shinji Ikari._

_That's _my _name,_ said Shinji irritably, _What is _your_ name; in the _werewolf_ language? I know that our native tongue has another name for you. What is it?_

The wolf smiled at his human half.

_I know that you've done reading, little half,_ it said, _You've learned things about our native culture. You know of our language, but you do not know your own name._

_That's why you're going to _tell_ me_, Shinji said back,_ You're going to tell me so that I know my name and can introduce us to others of our kind. It would also help to have an alias during our travels._

_We are called—_

The werewolf went into a series of barks and growls. Shinji's human ears didn't understand what it meant.

_What would that mean in _my_ people's language?_ Shinji asked, _What is our name?_

_In human language, our name would be pronounced as Azrael,_ the werewolf answered, _That is who we are. We are Azrael._

_Azrael,_ Shinji repeated, _Is that what I call you, now?_

_What you call me is entirely up to you,_ Azrael replied, _Just know that you and I are one and the same; inseparable._

_Always,_ Shinji responded.

When Shinji awoke the following morning, he packed up a camping backpack and all the equipment he would need to live out of his Stingray for an extended trip. Misato and Rei looked on tearfully as Shinji loaded his equipment and supplies into his car and pulled out onto the driveway. Shinji looked back at them standing in the doorway for a long moment. Once more his mind begged him to reconsider his rash, emotional decision. And, once more, his rational mind told him that he had no other alternative _but_ to leave them behind and go in search of answers.

Shinji put on his sunglasses and waved a brief goodbye. Then, he pulled out of the driveway and drove away to start his search for his past.

**A.N.: Whoo! talk about drama! I almost made myself cry writing this chapter, so I hope I didn't depress any of YOU too much. If I did, many many apologies. If I didn't, you're a heartless S.O.B. (JK!) Please drop me a review. There's more on the way!**


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Weeks passed. These weeks turned into months, and the months became the number of seven. Shinji had travelled all across the United States and across the Atlantic Ocean to England and the rest of Europe. While travelling, he had used the name Azrael on most of his hotel receipts when he stayed at one. Usually, he just found a deserted section of a park and slept outdoors. When a full moon came, Shinji made sure that he was as isolated as possible from humans.

Now, Shinji was back within the borders of the United States. He sat on the plane that was on its final approach to Los Angeles International Airport and reflected on some of his experiences during his last few months.

Travelling across the United States had been mostly fun. He had driven his Corvette from west coast to east coast, and then had it freighted back to L.A. After that, he had hopped a plane across the pond to London, England, where he happened to run into Spike. Spike was on an assignment for Angel Inc., and Shinji's arrival gave him an excuse to take a brief break from it to show the new kid in town around to all of the popular pubs and bars. Shinji got drunk for his first time that night, and found out the next morning the exact definition of "hangover". He puked his guts out behind a bush in the park he was sleeping out in.

The following few weeks weren't nearly as much fun. As he left the British Isles, he was nearly assassinated by an agent of the Moonwatcher's Council. This agent found out the hard way about Shinji's temper and lack of enthusiasm for nearly being killed. From then on, Shinji had had to stay one step ahead of his pursuers. He slept little, and stayed on the run for most of his days. The few agents that Shinji _did_ happen to ensnare offered little information about where their Council was based and how Shinji might find them.

In Romania, Shinji happened to encounter a gang of vampires that actually offered to _help_ him find the Moonwatchers. When Shinji followed them to a place they said might be a meeting place for the Council, he instead walked into an ambush laid by several agents of the Council. One of the agents managed to slash Shinji with a sword whose blade had been laced with silver. Shinji's back now bore a large scar from that wound. It had surprised Shinji at first that he had not been able to completely heal that wound as he had other wounds. After some thought on the subject, Shinji realized that since silver is the only substance that can _kill_ a werewolf, it made sense that a wound inflicted by a silver weapon would not heal like a mundane wound would.

Shinji's constant companion, the voice of Azrael in his head, helped him sense where there were a few werewolf colonies settled in remote areas of Eastern Europe. When Shinji had met with them, they could only offer him legends about their kinds breeding patterns. They gave him little hard evidence or advice about how to trace his lineage. So, discouraged and tired of being hunted, Shinji decided to return to Los Angeles and resume his life there. As the plane touched down on the runway, Shinji remembered what Azrael had said to him the night before he had left on his trip.

_How do you know they will still love you when you return?_

"I don't know," Shinji muttered as he stood up to disembark.

Out in the airport terminal, Shinji pulled out his cell phone and dialed in the phone number for the freight company he had used to ship his Corvette back to L.A.

"Hello" he said when the line picked up, "this is Shinji Ikari. I used your service to ship a 1977 Corvette Stingray across country from New York City to Los Angeles. Can you have it sent to Los Angeles International Airport so I can drive it home, please? You can? How long will that take? Another thirty minutes? Yeah, I can wait. No problem. Thanks."

Shinji hung up the phone. He made his way over to a newsstand and picked up a paper.

"Seven months," he murmured, "Where did the time go? I guess time flies when you're being hunted like an animal."

"You _are_ an animal," came a gruff voice from behind Shinji. He turned around fast to see a man standing there in a trench coat and fedora. The hat was pulled down low over his face, hiding most of his features.

"Who are you?" Shinji demanded.

"We've met before," the man replied, "Do you remember? Months ago, you were accessing Moonwatcher Council files. I warned you to desist, lest it be taken as a threat and you be hunted down. You refused. You have been searching for us these past few months, and we have been hunting _you_ as well."

"You were the one who sent me that creepy chat message," said Shinji, remembering, "Are you the one who sent all those assassins after me?"

"That was the Council's doing, not mine," the man said defensively, "I merely wish to study you; _alive_ if possible. Thus far, you have made it abundantly clear that you have no desire to be taken alive."

"I only want to be left _alone_," Shinji said clearly, gripping his pack tighter, "Why can't you fanatics _understand_ that? I've never hurt or killed _anyone_ who didn't attack _me_ first. I just want to live like a normal man. Werewolf is part of who I am, but I was raised as a _human_ for my whole _life_. I just want to find my family; where I come from. I was raised as a foster child. I've never known my parents. My mother's dead, and my father abandoned me."

"As sad as that story is," said the man coldly, "That kind of sympathy is not something the Council sees fit to bestow upon your kind. You are vermin, to be exterminated wherever found."

"_Who are you?!_" Shinji demanded angrily.

"There is no reason to cause a scene," said the man coolly, "If it is so important to you, Azrael, you may call me by my name: Rokubungi."

"Is that your _real_ name, or just an _alias_ given to you by the Council?" Shinji asked.

"Is Azrael _your_ real name, or is it just an alias that you've given yourself?" Rokubungi countered.

"You're right," Shinji replied, "It doesn't matter what you call yourself, because you're not sticking around long enough for it to make much of a difference. You're going to leave me alone to go about my business."

"And just what _is_ your business?" Rokubungi asked. He raised his head, finally, and looked at Shinji. Shinji got a good look at the man's face, or, at least the part of it that wasn't shaded by the hat's wide brim. His chin was stubbly and rough, he looked like he hadn't shaven in at least a week. His mouth was curled into a defiant sneer, but Shinji noticed immediately a strange similarity between his own mouth and this man that he had never seen before.

_It can't be,_ Shinji thought resolutely. He turned on his heel and walked quickly towards the exit.

Outside the terminal, Shinji found a truck that belonged to the freight company. He walked up to the driver and asked about his car.

"You Shinji Ikari?" the driver asked.

"The one and only," Shinji responded, trying to sound jovial and friendly.

"Can I see some I.D.?" the truck driver asked.

"Sure," Shinji answered, pulling out his driver's license.

The driver looked it over and handed it back to Shinji.

"This way," he said.

The man pulled up the back hatch door of the box van and pulled out a ramp. Shinji stepped up into the van and found his black beauty waiting for him. Shinji climbed into the car and dug into a small slice in the cushion of the driver's seat, where he had hidden his ignition key. He put the key back into the ignition switch and turned it. The vehicle's V-6 engine rumbled to life and Shinji backed it down the ramp and onto the road. He leaned his head out the window of the car.

"Thanks for taking care of my car, man," Shinji said.

"No biggie," the truck driver replied, "Take care."

Shinji waved a dismissing hand. Then, he pulled out from the curb, bound for his home in the cul-de-sac. He wanted badly to see Misato's face again. The whole time he had been away, he had thought about what she and he had said. The more he had thought about it, the more he had realized that Misato had not meant any harm, and that he, himself was as much to blame for the way things had turned out as Misato. When he had walked into the Council's ambush in Romania, and any of the various other death-traps that they had set up for him, he kept thinking about Misato's smile and the warmth of her lips, and how much he wanted to live in order to see those things again. These thoughts also kept him warm on those cold nights in Northern Europe when he had slept out on remote hills to avoid detection.

Shinji pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and turned it over in his hand as he drove. He contemplated calling Misato and telling her that he was on his way home. No, he thought, better to save that for a surprise. He instead dialed the number for Angel Investigations.

"Angel Investigations, we help the helpless," Angel's voice answered, "How can we help you?"

"Hey, Angel, what's up?" Shinji asked.

"Shinji? Is that you? How've you been?" Angel asked, "Spike said he saw you over in London a few months ago."

"Yeah, he did," Shinji replied, "Since then, I've been chased by those Moonwatcher goons."

"I warned you," Angel said seriously, "They're dangerous."

"No shit, Sherlock," Shinji replied sarcastically, "Listen, I need you guys to do me a _huge_ favor."

"Name it," said Angel.

"Could one of you head over to Misato's and check things out?" Shinji asked, "You don't need to interact with any of them, and if they should happen to see you, _don't_ tell them that it was me that sent you. Just tell them that you were in the neighborhood. I won't get back into that neck of the woods for another couple of hours, especially if this traffic doesn't improve. I just met another one of the Council's bogeys in the airport terminal, and I'm concerned for Misato and Rei."

"Consider it done," said Angel, "Anything else?"

"No, that's it, I think," Shinji said, "Thanks, Angel. I owe you big-time."

Shinji hung up the phone and shifted his attention back to the traffic on the road. It was just past evening rush hour and while it wasn't bumper-to-bumper, traffic was still pretty thick. Shinji estimated that it would be past sundown until he got back to the cul-de-sac. Being that it was February, sundown was near the six o' clock, so he wouldn't be home _too_ awfully late. Since the nights were longer during the winter, Shinji had had more time to be Azrael.

Shinji's time estimation wasn't far off the mark. At approximately 6:45 pm, Shinji wound his way past Jackson Avenue to the cul-de-sac that he had called home. Shinji looked longingly at the house that loomed larger and larger in his view. Moments later, Shinji pulled up to the curb and climbed out of his car. He had passed Angel's Impala at the far end of the block, so he knew that someone was still here.

"Angel? Spike? Anyone around?" Shinji asked.

"You're back," said Angel, dropping out of one of the trees, "Good. How's it feel to be back in your own neighborhood?"

"Better than I thought it would," Shinji replied, "Have you been up there since I called you? It was daylight, wasn't it?"

"We took shifts," said Angel, "Illyria watched the house until night fell. I've only been here for about half an hour."

"Well, you can leave now," Shinji said, "Thanks Angel. Relay my thank you to Illyria, as well. I owe you guys."

"Nah. This was our pleasure," Angel grinned, shaking Shinji's hand, "Now…go and win back your lady's heart."

Shinji smiled. He and Angel separated and went their ways. Shinji walked up to the front door of the house and rang the doorbell and waited. He stood there for nearly five minutes, but no one came down.

_Strange_, Shinji thought, _I _know_ she's home. Maybe it's time for me to sneak back into my room._

Shinji walked around the house and into the back yard. He was greeted by the old, familiar sight of Misato's swimming pool and the surrounding area. Shinji was surprised to see lights on in the hot tub house. He carefully crept across the yard and around the side of the tub house. Shinji slowly peeked through the glass door of the hut to see who was inside. Shinji smiled and peeled off his shirt. Next, he dropped his pants and quietly opened the door.

Inside, Shinji found Misato lounging in the Jacuzzi with her eyes closed. By her lack of reaction when he opened the door, Shinji judged that she hadn't heard him enter. He crept slowly over to the side of the tub.

"We've _gotta_ stop meeting in here," Shinji said loudly.

"Wha—Who's—," Misato sputtered.

Her eyes fell on Shinji, standing there in only his boxers, and widened to the side of dinner plates. Shinji's hands shot to his ears as Misato let out a scream of surprise and glee.

"You're back! Oh, my god!" Misato cried, practically dragging Shinji into the tub with her. Shinji decided to go along with her, and climbed into the bubbling water. Once there, Misato pulled Shinji into one of her bone-crunching bear hugs, pressing herself tightly against him. Shinji smelled her; so soft, so gentle, so…intoxicating. He wrapped his arms around her and stroked the smooth skin of her bare back.

"You still sit in here naked?" Shinji asked jokingly.

"I keep hoping you'll come out and stop me," Misato replied, "I missed you. God, I missed you so _much_!"

Misato pressed her lips hard against Shinji's. Startled at first by Misato's ardor, Shinji quickly recovered and responded with equal ardor. Misato soon straddled Shinji's lap and continued to kiss him fiercely. Shinji's hands found their way up along Misato's body to her ample bosom and began to squeeze and knead.

"Let's move this back to where it belongs," Shinji growled.

"Your bedroom or mine?" Misato whispered back.

"Mine," Shinji replied, "The bed's bigger."

"That'll be a good thing," Misato moaned.

**A.N.: Ssssssmokin'! You can bet there'll be some "making up" being done between our heroes now! Just as a point of reference, Shinji is going to carry Misato up through his window and directly into the bedroom. Please review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! There'll be more, just as soon as I finish writing it!**


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

"Mmm, _damn_ did I miss that," Misato sighed as she tumbled off of Shinji after their eighth time that night.

"Where the _hell_ did you develop so much _stamina_?" Shinji panted, "You haven't been…?"

"No!" Misato said, insulted, "What do you take me for, some cheap whore? I haven't had sex with any man since you left!"

"Sorry, sorry," Shinji said, hugging Misato quickly, "I just jumped to conclusions when you seemed suddenly able to out-fuck me."

"Well, I've been all pent up for, what, seven months?" Misato asked.

"Give or take a couple of weeks," Shinji agreed.

"Right," said Misato, "Well, as you can imagine, being a male, not having sex for such a long time tends to make one a little bit antsy and, consequently, make one drive themselves harder when they finally get the chance to scratch their itch."

"I'd almost forgotten your penchant for giving long descriptions," Shinji sighed fondly.

"Some things never change, eh?" Misato sighed happily, pulling Shinji's face down to hers and kissing him lightly and romantically.

"Not lately they haven't," Shinji yawned.

"Hey, hey," Misato said, shaking Shinji's shoulder, "You're not _quitting_ on me, are you, lover?"

"Not by choice, babe, _believe_ me," Shinji reassured her between several large yawns, "But you wore me out, and I just…don't sleep well anymore. I'll tell you my whole story tomorrow, okay? Let's just get some sleep."

"I missed _this_, too," Misato said happily, snuggling closer into Shinji's chest and hugging him tightly, as though she were afraid he would leave again.

Shinji put a grateful arm around Misato, holding her just as close. He planted a gentle kiss on the top of his lover's head and closed his eyes.

_It's good to be home_, he thought contentedly. Then, he fell asleep in his own bed for the first time in seven months.

Shinji jolted awake after a short time asleep. He had sensed something. Misato was still sleeping soundly, so Shinji gently extracted himself and tucked a pillow in her arms in his place. The fact that something had woken him up was no surprise to Shinji. His last few months on the run from the Council had transformed him into a very light sleeper. Instead of being nervous about what might be after him _this_ time, what Shinji was feeling was pissed off.

_My first night back in my own house with the woman I love and someone is _ruining_ it!_ Shinji thought angrily, _Who- or whatever is around here better do some fast talking or I'm going to rip them to pieces._

Shinji prowled quietly through Misato's house, searching for the source of the noise. As Shinji moved through the capacious floors, finding nothing, and no signs that anything was even there, he began to wonder if he wasn't hearing things. Shinji was about to turn around and head back to bed when he heard another noise, slightly louder this time.

Shinji transformed and continued to prowl. He wasn't sure what he was hearing, but he knew that he couldn't afford to not take any possible threat to himself or Misato seriously. The last few months taught him that hard lesson. Shinji followed his ears to the last general location that he had heard the sound coming from.

_Azrael, what's going on?_ Shinji asked, _Why does everyone keep _attacking_ us?_

_Don't you use your other senses?_ Azrael responded, astonished, _Can't you _smell_ everything in this house?_

_Oh, yeah…_

Shinji sniffed deeply and stretched out his senses to fill the whole house. He smelled Misato in their upstairs bedroom, as well as another smell that was much closer to his person. Shinji's jaw dropped to the floor. He recognized that smell.

"Rei? Is that you?" Shinji asked softly, changing back to human form.

"Who's there?" Rei's voice replied from a darker corner of the room, "Who is that?"

"Take a wild guess," Shinji replied, turning on one of the living room lamps, "Just keep your voice down."

Rei dashed across the room and threw herself into Shinji's embrace. Even after seven months away from her, Shinji felt awkward at such a blatant show of emotion by Rei.

_Misato's right, some things never _do_ change,_ Shinji thought ruefully. Unexpectedly, Rei kissed him right on the mouth.

"Sorry," Rei panted as she pulled away from Shinji, "I'm just so glad to _see_ you! How long has it _been_?"

"About seven months," Shinji answered, "Rei, what are you doing sneaking into Misato's house? It's well past midnight!"

"I'm practicing," Rei replied. Shinji looked confused.

"I'm learning the art of Nin-jitsu," said Rei, "You know: stealth, invisibility. Misato actually installed a home security system a few months ago since you weren't around to protect her. I just circumvented it and climbed in through the window. How did you know I was in the house, anyway?"

"Werewolf senses, remember?" Shinji asked, "Combine that with a forced habit of sleeping light, and not much gets within my range of hearing that I _don't_ know about. I heard something that I didn't recognize, so it woke me up. I didn't expect it to be _you_ that was breaking and entering, though."

"I'm not breaking and entering," said Rei, "I'm _practicing_. Misato _knows_ that I do this kind of stuff from time to time, so she makes sure that her security system is always on at night, to make it real for me."

"She never turned anything off when we came inside tonight," Shinji said. Then, he added quietly, "Then again, we never _did_ come in through the door."

"What's that?" Rei asked.

"Nothing," Shinji replied.

_Gonna have to watch the comments around Rei,_ Shinji thought, _I don't know whether or not she still has strong feelings for me._

"So…a ninja, huh?" Shinji asked, "Does that mean that you know kung-fu or whatever now?"

"Nin-jitsu is also a method for self-defense," Rei explained, "since ninjas cannot always rely on stealth. I'm learning about all _kinds_ of ways to defend myself. So far, my favorite is the throwing knives."

"Throwing knives?" Shinji asked, breathless, "You're using _throwing knives_? Boy, I _did_ miss out on a few things while I was gone, didn't I?"

"A few," Rei said quietly, a blush appearing on her cheeks.

"Such _as_...?" Shinji asked interestedly, noticing the blush. He grinned as he watched Rei struggle inwardly with the decision of whether or not to tell him.

"Well…um…" Rei stammered, "I…we…I can't say it!"

Rei turned and started to run for the window. Shinji was faster, and caught her by her arm. Shinji was taken by surprise, however, when Rei caught his wrist and used his own momentum to send him flying through the air. Shinji landed on his feet only because his werewolf agility took over and helped him twist in the air to land.

"What the hell was _that?_" Shinji demanded.

"Reflex," Rei replied apologetically, "Sorry. When I'm trying to escape from something, all of my instincts go into 'escape mode' and I'll do anything to get away."

"Get away from what, Rei?" Shinji asked.

"From you," Rei answered, "and from having to tell you about Misato and my nights together."

"Come again?" Shinji asked.

"Only if you work hard," said Misato from behind Shinji, "Trying the whole 'ninja stealth' trip again, huh Rei?"

Shinji turned around and saw Misato standing at the base of the stairs in a dayrobe.

"Yeah," Rei admitted, defeated, "Shinji must have heard me with those super ears of his."

"I only heard you the time right before I smelled you," said Shinji, "Before that, when I woke up, it was more of a…I don't know…sixth sense, if you will. Six months on the run from a cult that wants to kill you makes you more aware of what's around you. Misato, you really need to upgrade your security system. I'm going back to bed."

"You gonna stay this time?" Misato asked seriously.

"I'll try," Shinji replied honestly, "I really will."

Shinji walked back up the stairs to his bedroom and flopped down onto the mattress. It still felt warm from Misato's presence there. Not like it had felt right before he had left; the cold, emptiness. No, this time his bed felt warm and, though he was currently alone in it, he could still feel Misato next to him under the covers. Five minutes later, Shinji felt Misato crawl back between the sheets with him; without her robe. Shinji rolled sleepily over onto his back so that Misato could cuddle closer to him.

"Hmm…room for one more?" Misato yawned quietly.

"Mmm," Shinji mumbled, still half asleep. Suddenly, he felt a second body join him in the bed, but he was already falling asleep, so he didn't react to it.

In the morning, Shinji awoke with just Misato next to him. He yawned widely and stretched carefully, not wishing to disturb her. Misato mumbled in her sleep and rolled off of Shinji. Shinji took the opportunity and quietly rolled his way out of bed.

"What an odd night," Shinji muttered, "I get home, have over two hours of _mind_-blowing sex with Misato, and then catch Rei 'breaking into' our house. And then, we go back to bed and I feel someone else in bed with me besides Misato. But, there wasn't anyone else there besides Misato just now. Was it all a dream, brought on by seeing Rei again?"

"What're you talking about, baby?" Misato yawned, rolling over and sitting up next to him in bed.

"Nothing, Misato," Shinji replied, "Just thinking about a crazy dream I had last night."

"Oh," said Misato, stretching widely. Shinji smiled at Misato's unashamed display of flesh for him, even after seven long months apart.

Shinji heard a door close; the bathroom door. He turned around to see Rei walking out in a bathrobe with a towel wrapped around her head. She saw Shinji looking at her and smiled.

_Holy god, it wasn't a dream,_ Shinji thought, flabbergasted, _I really _did_ feel Rei lie down next to me last night. What the hell happened while I was gone? They didn't…they couldn't have…_

"You okay, Shinji?" Rei asked, drying her hair, "Because you look like you've seen a ghost."


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Shinji gawked at Rei as she sat down on the bed next to a still _very_ nude Misato and wrapped her arms around Misato's neck. Shinji stuttered awkwardly as Misato returned the embrace and kissed Rei lightly on the lips. The two women looked over at Shinji, twin smiles adorning their faces.

"What's the matter, baby?" Misato asked, "Are you surprised?"

"To say the _very_ least," Shinji replied faintly, "What _happened_ between you two?"

"You did," Rei answered.

"Excuse me?"

"_You_ happened between us," Misato said, repeating Rei's statement, "You _left_ us, Shinji."

"I had no choice," Shinji replied, though he suddenly felt uncertain about his decision, "I…I couldn't stay here with all the lies…"

"We could have worked it out," Misato said emphatically, "Rei and I were _more_ than willing to come clean for you, Shinji. Matter of fact, we were in the process of _coming_ clean for you when you stormed out of our lives. We didn't know when or even _if_ you'd come back."

"It didn't start out as much," Rei said, picking up where Misato stopped, "I just asked to stay over for a couple of nights because I thought she should have someone here with her to stave off some of the pain. She asked me if I would be willing to sleep in bed with her, because…what reason did you give me again, Misato?"

"I was lonely and I was hurting," said Misato, "I didn't want to sleep in bed alone, and I didn't care if I was sleeping with another girl, as long as I could have my arms around someone that I cared about. Rei was so obliging. I think _she_ needed to feel like someone still loved her as much as I needed the same. This all happened in the first two weeks after you left."

"After that, things started getting a little closer," Rei said, taking control of the story again, "At first, Misato had slept in a nightie or her underwear. After a week or two, usually only a couple of nights a week, she started sleeping in the nude with me, and encouraged me to do the same. She said that it would make us feel closer and more…what was it? 'In touch', I think, were the words that you used, right Misato?"

"That's right," answered Misato, with a touch of shame, "Rei and I slept in a spooning position together. One night, about…oh, six months ago now, she and I happened to move at the same time in such a way that my hand touched her breast. I expected that Rei would pull away, but she didn't; quite the opposite, in fact. Her hand came up and wrapped around mine, and guided it further up onto her breast, encouraging me to squeeze it. That kind of touching and groping satisfied us for another few nights. Then, she and I decided that more was needed."

"More…" Shinji whispered, hardly able to believe what he was hearing.

"Yeah," Misato sighed musically, "_so_ much more…I'll never forget the first time I felt her tongue in my—,"

"_Oh_-kay," Shinji cut in, a little louder than he meant to. Seeing the slightly hurt looks on Misato's and Rei's faces, he continued:

"Sorry. I, uh, think it's…_great_…that you two were able to find ways to, uh…_comfort_ each other. I just…wasn't expecting to hear about any…I don't want to use the word 'lesbian' encounters…but, uh…"

"I thought guys _liked_ hearing about girls who had sex with girls," Rei asked playfully, "I hear that it's a big turn-on for them."

"Yeah, sweetie," Misato added, "And…if I recall correctly…you said, on your birthday, that if you ordered me to, I was to seduce another girl for you; 'willingly and without hesitation', I think were the words you used."

"Oh, he _did_?" Rei asked, sounding overly surprised and clearly rubbing it in for added teasing effect, "Well, Shinji, it looks like your order was filled. Too bad you weren't around to _see_ it…"

Misato and Rei began to giggle heartily at the shocked look on their man's face. Shinji was having a hard time functioning. His breathing was almost non-existent, his pulse felt like it had stopped, and all the blood in his body felt like it had pooled in his groin. What had started out as a standard "morning wood" was now a raging hard-on. Shinji's brain couldn't form a coherent thought or sentence to make any reply. All he could do was slump forward and hug his knees. Doing this exposed his back to the morning light in the room. Misato's and Rei's laughter stopped dead as they saw the large, jagged scar that crossed diagonally down his back from his left shoulder to his right hip.

"What the _hell_?!" Rei gasped.

"Shinji, your back--!"

"Yeah, pretty, isn't it?" Shinji asked, coming back to his senses.

"What _happened_?" Misato asked, tentatively running one of her smooth hands over the raised, white scar tissue, "Does it hurt?"

"Not on the surface," Shinji said calmly, "As a matter of fact, it feels kind of good, the way you're rubbing it. Deeper in, though, I can feel it when it comes time to rain. As for what _happened_, that's a _longer_ story."

"Well…_we're_ not going anywhere," said Rei.

"Yeah," Misato added, "Plus, you said you'd tell us about your trip today _anyway_."

"Oh, and what a trip it was, too," Shinji began.

Shinji talked for another forty-five minutes, recounting the tale of his expedition across the United States and Europe. As he talked, Shinji got up and got dressed. He found himself smiling about some of his more horrifying experiences because, as he told them, Rei gasped with terror in all the right places and Misato seemed almost ready to cry when Shinji talked about how close he had come to dying. When Shinji told them about the trap the vampires had led him into, Misato just looked at him in disbelief.

"You _trusted_ them?" she asked, "A bunch of soulless, blood-sucking devils, and you _trusted_ them?!"

"I was getting _desperate_ for leads by that point, honey," Shinji answered apologetically, "I was willing to trust just about _anyone_ who said they knew where the Council was. Anyway, when I reached the warehouse that the gang members led me to, they said: 'All right, kid. They're in there waiting for you.' I didn't think that they meant it literally and walked right into an ambush. There were about twenty-five, maybe thirty of them, and they were all armed to the teeth and loaded for werewolf. I fought them off; _killed_ most of them. While I was fighting, one of them drew a sword and slashed at me. The scar you see on my back is where he got me."

"I thought your werewolf powers let you heal _completely_," Misato asked.

"Except, I guess, when silver is part of the weapon that inflicts the wound," Shinji replied, "I remember a burning sensation that had nothing to do with the slash after the wound was inflicted. It felt like _fire_ racing through my veins, almost like snake venom. I figured that it was the silver having a semi-toxic effect on my body. It threw my adrenal system into overdrive. I fought harder and faster than before, disarming the sword-swinger and ripping his throat out."

"Your bloodlust again," Misato said, a worried tone lacing her voice.

"More of a controlled berserker's rage now," said Shinji reassuringly, "Months of time, training, and self-discipline have honed most of my senses to incredible levels. Even in the _day_time now, I can see farther and hear better than a normal man. Even blindfolded, I can almost 'see' perfectly, using my sense of smell, touch, and hearing all at the same time as a sort of tactile radar sense. I can also run faster and jump higher than a normal human."

"That's so _cool_," Rei said in awe, "It sure beats the hell out of my ninja training."

"Oh, I don't know," Shinji said competitively, "I might be able to _see_ in complete _darkness_, but that doesn't compete with _ninja_ invisibility. At some point today, I'd like to see just how good you are with those throwing knives you talked about last night. On the subject of ninjas, who's teaching you?"

"An old man down in Chinatown," Rei answered, "His name's master Ryuji Teng. His school has been teaching the art of Nin-jitsu for nearly a century."

"How did you meet him?" Shinji asked.

"Pure chance," Rei replied with a smile, "I was out with Misato having lunch at one of her favorite Chinese restaurants and he walked over to me. He smiled down at me in an almost _grandfatherly_ way, and said:

"'I sense promise within you, Luna Moth. Come here in two days.' And he handed me a slip of paper with a Chinatown address on it."

"So, I assume you went there," Shinji prompted.

"I did," Rei agreed, "What I found was a large, gymnasium-esque space that was filled with all sorts of training equipment. They had climbing nets and ropes, heavy bags, target dummies, sparring mats…everything! There were about fifty guys in the warehouse, all dressed in ninja uniform. When I opened the door, all of them stopped dead in their tracks. Awkwardly, I tried to introduce myself, only to hear one of the higher-rank students demand:

"'Who allowed a _woman_ to find our school?'

"'Yoshi!' snapped master Ryuji, emerging from the center of the sneering crowd, 'Ten back flips for your disrespect! The Luna Moth is here by _my_ personal invitation. She will be studying with us from now on. Is this understood?'

"'_Yes sir!_ the students all replied in unison."

"So, from that point, you've been a ninja," said Shinji.

"More or less," Rei responded.

"That name that master Teng gave you, Luna Moth," Shinji said thoughtfully, "What did he mean by it?"

"I wondered the same thing," Rei said back, "so I asked him one day while he was training me. For the most part, he trained me personally and he treated me like a daughter. When I asked him, Master Ryuji told me that he sensed the moon's quiet spirit in me. He said that I was drawn to the power of the moon like a luna moth to the flame."

"Ah," said Shinji, comprehending, "Makes sense, given how much you hang around me."

"Mm-hmm," Misato hummed in agreement.

"So Luna Moth," Shinji said, "how about you two get dressed, and we go train a little bit? I could use a little bit of a workout myself."

"Sounds good to me, Shinji," Rei replied eagerly.

A few minutes later, the trio walked out to the back yard, dressed in workout clothing. Shinji walked over to the large oak tree in Misato's yard and jumped up into its branches; no mean feat, considering that the lowest branch on the tree was nearly twenty-five feet straight up. From that branch, Shinji started to jump up through the branches until he found one high enough up to suit him. He dropped down and hung from the branch and started to do chin-ups; _sixty feet_ in the air.

"Show off!" Misato shouted from the ground.

"You're just--huff, huff--_jealous_ that you can't come up here to--puff, puff--_join_ me!" Shinji shouted back between chin-ups.

"_She_ can't," Rei called. Then, she took a running start towards the tree and walked up the trunk until she reached the branch that Shinji had started on. From there, she scaled the tree almost as quickly as Shinji had, scurrying up its trunk and branches in such a way that someone might have thought she was a large squirrel. Rei landed lightly on the branch next to Shinji and said:

"but _I _can."

Shinji laughed heartily, nearly losing his grip on the tree branch. Rei decided to test to see just how good Shinji's reflexes were. Producing one of her throwing knives from a small holster on her belt, Rei stabbed at the tree branch near Shinji's fingers. She wasn't trying to _hit_ his fingers, of course, but she wanted to make it _appear_ as though she were going to stab him.

Shinji moved with the speed of thought, letting go of the branch and dropping five feet to the one below him, landing with the agility of a cat. Rei leaped down after him, continuing with the feinting attacks. She and Shinji leaped and glided through the branches of the oak, attacking and blocking each other, until…

"Whoa—oh!" Rei lost her balance and started to fall.

Shinji didn't hesitate. He dove out of the branches after her and caught her arm with one of his hands and an out-stretching tree limb with the other. He felt a sickening snap as his left shoulder dislocated from the sudden stopping force. As soon as their downward fall had been arrested, Shinji looked down at Rei and said through gritted teeth:

"You—okay?"

"I think so," Rei replied, "Are you?"

"Let's get—back to—ground," Shinji responded, trying to block out the pain that was like a thousand red-hot knife blades in his shoulder.

Rei nodded and let go of Shinji's arm and dropped to the next lower branch, then worked her way down the rest of the way to the ground. Shinji's climb down was much slower, owing to the fact that his left shoulder could not be trusted to hold any weight. Shinji finally dropped to the ground, collapsed and lay there, clutching his shoulder in abject agony.


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Shinji!" Misato gasped, rushing towards him.

"I'm—uhh!—I'm okay," Shinji grunted, struggling to his feet.

"If you're okay, then move your left arm," Rei said combatitively.

Shinji glared at her and tried to raise his left arm from the shoulder. Of course, he couldn't do it, no matter how much he tried and strained. The effort of exertion was also making Shinji's shoulder burn worse and worse by the second.

"As I thought," said Rei.

"What's wrong?" Misato asked.

"Dislocated," Rei answered, "When he caught me just now."

"Would you have preferred I let you drop through the tree branches and break your neck?" Shinji snapped, his pain making him angrier.

"Of course not!" Rei said indignantly, "But I really don't like seeing other people hurting themselves for my sake."

"I caught you at a bad angle," Shinji said, "It put extra strain on my shoulder joint beyond a standard catch. Excuse me for just _one_ second, please?"

With that, Shinji walked over to the side of the hot tub house and stood at one of the corners. He lined up his hurt shoulder with the broad side of the building and threw the front of his shoulder against it as hard as he could. Shinji grunted loudly as a fresh lance of fire struck through his entire arm, nearly causing him to pass out from the pain. As it was, he stumbled and fell onto his backside.

_**Very**__ dignified,_ he told himself in a belittling manner.

Misato strode quickly to Shinji's side and helped him up.

"What the _hell_ did you do _that_ for?" Misato demanded, confused.

"He just reset his own shoulder," Rei explained, walking over, "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Picked it up on my trip," said Shinji, eyes still slightly crossed from the extreme pain, "I am in _serious_ need of an ice pack right now, and…Misato?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm _fine_, so don't baby me, okay?"

Shinji walked into the house and made his way up to the home-theatre room. Once there, he plunked down onto one of the recliner couches and switched on the projector screen. From there, he selected a monster movie from the playlist menu and tilted his chair back to relax. A few minutes later, Rei came into the room to give Shinji his ice pack.

"What are you watching?" she asked.

"Frankenstein meets the Wolf-man," Shinji replied, not looking away from the screen, "Thanks for the ice, Rei."

"You're welcome," Rei said, then turned to leave.

"Rei?" Shinji said, turning to look at her.

"Yes?" Rei asked hopefully. She stopped and looked back at Shinji. She sounded breathless, almost the same way she had the first day she had met Shinji, all those months before. She was still excited by him, despite both of their relationships with Misato. For her, it was a case of the "forbidden fruit" attraction. He and Misato were both something that she wasn't supposed to have, so therefore, that made her want them more. While she had had them both at one time or another, Rei found that, despite her love and attraction for Misato, she still liked Shinji more.

"Would you like to stay and watch the movie with me?" Shinji asked. Rei's heart leapt with excitement.

"I'd love to," she replied.

Rei walked back over to the couch that Shinji was sitting on and sat down next to him on his left side. She glanced over at Shinji, who was now watching the movie screen again. Rei noted that, even with the ice pack in place on the shoulder, the deltoid muscles were beginning to swell.

_Poor baby,_ Rei thought sympathetically, _Your shoulder is going to be sore for a while, isn't it? I feel bad now, because you did it to help _me_._

Rei started to sink in self-pity. Shinji smiled covertly. He could sense the waves of despair rolling off of Rei. He shook his head a little bit.

_I know what you're thinking, Rei,_ Shinji thought to himself, _You're blaming yourself for what happened to me. You shouldn't, you know. I would have done it again in a heartbeat for anyone. Besides, barring any unforeseen circumstances, I should be back to normal by tonight. I can already feel my shoulder mending._

Shinji relaxed and shifted his full attention back to the classic monster movie. Shinji couldn't help but laugh at some of the "scarier" moments in the movie. Rei looked askance at him.

"Oh, come on," Shinji chuckled, "A _five_-year-old could see how fake this is. I just find it funny that people used to find these movies _scary_."

"It was a simpler time back then," said Rei, "People weren't as cynical then."

"I suppose _that's_ true," Shinji agreed, "Ah, well."

Shinji lifted his arm experimentally. Sensing her opportunity, Rei ducked under his arm and snuggled against his body. Shinji, briefly shocked, chuckled good-naturedly and put his arm down and around Rei. Rei sighed happily as she settled deeper against Shinji's chest and listened to his heart beating. Shinji had to admit, it felt good to have Rei near him. It didn't change the way he felt about Misato, but he did still feel things for Rei.

Something suddenly felt wrong. Shinji's eyes slid out of focus as he listened away from the surround-sound system. It was no good. Shinji couldn't hear well enough during the day to tune it out. He muted the movie.

"What's wrong?" Rei asked.

"Shh," Shinji hissed sharply. He concentrated hard, putting all his conscious effort into straining his hearing to the max. Shinji suddenly jumped to his feet and raced out of the room. Rei dashed after him. Shinji charged down the stairs to find a large group of troops, dressed in covert-ops gear, dragging an unconscious Misato across the floor towards the back door.

"It's him!" one of the troops exclaimed, alerting the others to Shinji's presence.

"The Councilmen want him alive," the troops' commander said, "Non-lethal ordnance only."

"What about the girl with him?" one of the troops asked.

"_She's_ expendable," the commander said viciously.

Shinji snarled and charged headlong into the fray against the heavily-armed men and holding their attention. Rei pulled out several knives from her belt holster and flung them at the troops. The knives struck home on their targets, stabbing into the gaps of the troops' tactical assault armor. As Shinji bowled headlong into the lead group, Rei used her throwing knife skills to pick off troops at the edges of the group.

"Get the woman out!" the leader ordered, "She's essential to the Council's plans!"

Two of the troops disengaged from the melee and carried Misato out of the house. Shinji tried to go after them, but even with Rei's help he couldn't reach the door in time to stop them. He could hear an airship hovering over the house. Rei joined Shinji in hand-to-hand combat with the soldiers, utilizing her ninja martial arts skills as well as her knives to inflict large amounts of pain in their attackers.

"Shoot her!" one of the soldiers shouted. Shinji snapped his head around to see another of the soldiers bringing an MP5N sub-machine gun to bear on Rei's back.

"Rei!" Shinji shouted, "Behind you!"

Rei ducked and rolled behind Misato's couch just as the soldier pulled the trigger and released a barrage of deadly bullets. Shinji picked up one of Rei's thrown knives and whipped it at the man. Shinji missed any of the gaps in the armor, but he got the man's attention, which was exactly his plan. The man, seeing his chance for glory, quickly reloaded his weapon. At the top of the clip, Shinji saw the unmistakable glint of silver bullets.

_Great_, Shinji grumbled inwardly.

Luck, however, was on Shinji's side. The troop commander's voice rang out over the soldiers' radios:

"The woman's secure! All units pull out! Repeat: All units pull out!"

The man grudgingly turned around and began to retreat for the exit.

"Rei!" Shinji shouted, pointing at the man, "I want him able to talk."

Rei picked up two more of her knives and slung the blades hard into the back of the fleeing soldier's thigh. The man, unable to run, dropped to the floor. Shinji leaped on him and kicked away the man's machine gun. Now, his assailant disarmed, Shinji rolled the man over and ripped one of the knives rudely from the soldier's thigh.

"All right," Shinji snarled, "talk! Where are they taking Misato?!"

Silence.

"Talk, or I put this knife someplace a _lot_ more painful than your thigh!" Shinji said angrily, threatening the man's crotch with the blade.

When the man still refused to talk, Shinji slowly started digging the point of the knife blade into the man's private area. Rei looked away as Shinji continued to torture the soldier. The screams were terrible. Finally, the soldier screamed:

"To the High Council! They're taking her to the High Council!"

"_Where_?" Shinji roared, digging the blade in harder and twisting it.

"A warehouse," the unfortunate soldier gasped, "F-fourth Avenue and Underhill. Please! Oh, god, I've told you where! No more!"

Shinji reached up and twisted the soldier's head, snapping his neck. Rei watched in horror as Shinji executed the man.

"What did you do _that_ for?" she demanded.

"He was my enemy," Shinji said, his tone almost as vicious as the troop commander's had been, "Now, he is dead."

"What _happened_ to you while you were gone?" Rei wondered, "You used to be so _gentle_."

"Being gentle almost got me _killed_!" Shinji snapped, "Okay?! The world is _not_ a gentle place! To survive against evil like the Moonwatcher's Council, you have to be just as ruthless; just as cruel."

"The knives I threw today killed every one of their targets, except the last one, because you said you wanted him alive," said Rei, "You just killed an unarmed man _after_ torturing him."

"He wouldn't have talked any other way," Shinji said resolutely, "Now, come on. Misato needs us."

Rei reluctantly followed Shinji out to the garage. A few minutes later, rolling down the road, Shinji pulled out his cell phone and called Angel.

"Angel Investigations," Spike answered, "We help the—,"

"Spike, just can it and listen up, okay?" Shinji said briskly.

"That you, Shinji?" Spike asked, "How are you, mate? Have a good time in Europe?"

"Dandy," Shinji said, just as briskly, "Now shut up and listen to me. I need your help. I need you, Angel, and Illyria to meet me at Fourth Avenue and Underhill Street. I'll explain once I see you."

"It's still bloody _day_ out, kid," Spike protested, "I'm sure Angel would be _more_ than willin' to show up, but we're not all that fond of bursting into flames."

"There's an overpass just south of Fourth Avenue," Rei said, "We can meet them there."

"Did you hear that?" Shinji asked.

"Sure did," Spike replied, "We'll see you two there in about fifteen minutes."


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

"Right, what's this all about, then?"

"Misato's been kidnapped, Spike," Shinji answered.

"The Council?" Angel asked. Shinji nodded.

"What is your plan?" Illyria asked.

"Right now, I'm just making it up as I go," Shinji replied honestly, "A plan…let me think…Plan 'A': we try to sneak in and break her out quietly without raising any alarms."

"What's plan 'B'?" Spike asked, "Because, honestly, I'm not seein' us sneakin' in _anywhere_."

"I'll tell you plan 'B' if it comes to it," Shinji answered, "Let's wait until nightfall then get to it."

"Nightfall's not for another thirty minutes," said Angel, "Why don't we take the remaining time to scope out the block for possible entrances and exits?"

"Good idea," Shinji responded, grateful for the additional planning skills, "How're we going to divide things up?"

"Before we get to that, mind tellin' me what's the _girl_ doin' here?" Spike demanded.

Angel opened his mouth to speak, but Shinji was faster.

"She's _trying_ to help me rescue our _friend_, you git," Shinji said, adding a thick, imitation British accent to his voice. Angel, Shinji and Rei laughed.

"What the _hell's_ so bleedin' _funny_?!" Spike demanded.

"The fact that he just shut you up in your own vernacular," Rei replied, still giggling.

"I also find it amusing that a non-Englishman managed to silence you using your own accent and dialect," Illyria added evenly.

"Oh, hardy-_bloody_-har," Spike said sarcastically.

"Okay, kids, let's focus a little bit, here," said Angel, coming back to his full sobriety, "Spike, you and I will cover the sewers. Shinji, you and Rei take the west block of Fourth Avenue, Illyria, you go east. Look for any boarded up doors, windows, or blocked fire escapes that lead to the warehouse address. Spike and I will look for any sewer entrances that might lead to the warehouse. Everyone got that?"

"Clear as vodka," Shinji replied.

"Speakin' o' that," said Spike, "I'm gonna need a belt after we get through with this."

"Let's go," Angel said, passing out walkie-talkie radios to each group. Shinji had taken them off of the dead soldiers at Misato's house.

Angel and Spike pulled up the manhole cover in the street and dropped down into the sewers. Illyria walked off down Fourth Avenue, leaving Shinji and Rei standing together. Shinji looked over at Rei and nodded. The two of them jogged off in the opposite direction.

"Shinji, how is this going to help us?" Rei asked.

"What do you mean?" Shinji asked, looking up at the buildings surrounding the alley that they were in.

"How is roaming the streets like this going to help us get Misato back?" Rei asked impatiently, "We could be infiltrating the warehouse right now! Why are we waiting?!"

"I understand _perfectly_ how you feel, Rei," Shinji answered, "really, I do. Believe me, if I thought that barging headlong into a warehouse full of Council agents who want to _kill_ me would get Misato back, I'd do it without another thought. But right now, _strategy_ is what is called for. If we can find a back door into this warehouse, we can catch those rotten bastards with their _pants_ down! And anyway, isn't the creed of the ninja all about silence, stealth, and invisibility?"

"I'm not a true ninja yet," Rei protested, "I haven't passed the final initiation into the Order. I'm still susceptible to the temptations of emotion and passion."

"Thank goodness," Shinji said, relieved, "Here I was hoping that you hadn't turned into some sort of emotionless, wind-up doll. Hold on a sec--,"

Shinji stopped and looked up at the side of the building.

"Angel?" Shinji said, pressing down the button on his radio, "Angel, come in."

"What is it, Shinji?" Angel's voice replied, slightly garbled from static.

"I've found a fire escape on the side of the warehouse building," said Shinji, "The bottom two levels have been removed; _recently_ from the lack of rust on the bolts lying on the ground. This is _definitely_ the right place."

"Good work," Angel replied. Then, he changed conversations: "Illyria?"

"Yes, Angel?" Illyria responded.

"Any luck?"

"I have found two windows that have been boarded up against the outside," Illyria answered.

"Good job," said Angel, "Stay on it. Spike and I have had no luck down here. All the sewer access points have been welded shut. I think they were expecting any infiltrators to try to come through the sewers."

"It's starting to get dark up here, Angel," Shinji said, "Let's rendezvous back at the overpass and plan our next move."

"Agreed," said Illyria.

"All right," said Angel, "We'll see you there. Angel out."

"Let's go, Rei," said Shinji.

Five minutes later, the group was standing under the Fourth Avenue overpass again. Shinji was beginning to feel anxious and excited. He knew that a confrontation and retribution were near.

"All right," Angel said, "Here's how it's going to work: Rei, you and Illyria will be the first wave. After you get inside, try to do some reconnaissance. Let us know how many guards you find. Spike, you and I will follow up after them. We disable anyone that moves."

"What about _me_?" Shinji asked, "Why aren't _I_ going in?"

"You're the one they're _expecting_," said Angel, "If you go in there, they're probably going to have ways of detecting you. It's best for right now if you just hold back and let _us_ handle it."

"There's no way they're going to _stop_ me," Shinji growled resolutely, "They've kidnapped my _girlfriend_. They're going to _pay_!"

"Don't get angry," Angel cautioned, "If you start letting your emotions rule your decision-making, you're going to get yourself killed. Stay calm and stay focused, and trust me. I've done this kind of rescue mission dozens of times, I know what I'm doing. Now, let's get up to the roof of the building and look for possible entrances."

Angel and Spike each made a standing jump and cleared the two stories between the ground and the lowest part of the fire escape. Illyria was next, making the jump with almost as much ease as the vampires had. Rei looked at Shinji with worry in her eyes.

"I can't make that jump, Shinji," she said nervously.

"_You_ can't," Shinji replied. Then, he reared back, growled, and transformed into Azrael. He grabbed Rei around the waist, held her tightly, and bounded easily up the two stories to the fire escape. Then, he transformed back and said:

"_I_ can. Now, let's join the rest of the crew."

Moments later, on the roof, Shinji, Rei, and Team Angel all stood around a skylight window. Shinji was quietly stewing about being told to hang back and stay out of danger.

_Azrael, why don't they _trust_ me?_ Shinji whined petulantly.

_I believe they _do, his werewolf alter-ego responded, _They simply wish to keep you _safe_ so that you may be successfully reunited with the woman you love._

_But I can _help _them,_ Shinji protested, _Why won't they _listen_?_

_Do not get discouraged, Young One_, Azrael replied in a fatherly manner, _Your time will come. And when it does, everyone will see how truly great we are. Have patience._

_Yes…patience,_ Shinji agreed reluctantly.

"Did you get that, Shinji?" Angel asked.

"Hmm?" Shinji said, coming out of his inward conversation, "I'm sorry, what?"

"I was just going over the plan to get into the building," Angel said, a little exasperatedly, "The way it's going to work is like this: Rei and Illyria are going to drop through this skylight and start to slowly sweep the top floor. Remember, _don't_ engage the guards unless forced to do so."

"Right," said Rei. Illyria nodded once. Angel continued:

"After the two of you sweep the top floor, Spike and I will drop in, disable whatever guards might be around and move down the next floor. We'll continue to work our way down through the floors in this two by two pattern until we find where they're keeping Misato. As soon as we _find_ her, we're extracting back to the roof and getting the hell _out_ of here."

"Got it," said Shinji sourly.

"We'll be as quick as we can," Rei promised.

_As quick as they can,_ Shinji thought, _Right. They might as well take a _lifetime._ That's what it's going to _feel_ like, cooped up here on this roof._

"Wish us luck," said Rei as she pulled open the skylight. Shinji and Angel nodded. Spike gave them a dashing smile and friendly wink.

The two women dropped through the skylight and landed on the floor about fifteen feet down. Shinji watched anxiously as they split up and began to slowly sweep their way through the top level of the warehouse. Shinji lost sight of the pair, but a few minutes later, there were two clicks that came through the walkie-talkie; the signal they had agreed on for "all clear". Spike's eyes lit up excitedly.

"Let's go, then, Angel," said Spike. Then, he dropped through the skylight. Angel looked over at Shinji and nodded. The teen werewolf returned the nod with as brave a smile as his disappointed features could muster. Angel dropped through the skylight, leaving Shinji alone on the rooftop. Shinji sat for several minutes, listening for the clicks on the radio. After about ten minutes, Shinji had a thought:

_Why the hell am I so afraid to go in _after_ them? My senses would warn me about anybody who was close enough to see or hear me. I'm going _in.

Shinji dropped through the skylight and became Azrael. He stretched out his senses and let them envelope the room around him. The whole building smelled of stale alcohol. Shinji reasoned that this building must have been a liquor warehouse before it was abandoned. He could hear Rei's heartbeat two floors below him. It was rapid; a combination of adrenaline and fear. Shinji swept through the top two floors, encountering no one and rapidly gaining ground on the first two groups. Shinji's ears detected a snapping sound. Shinji suspected that Angel or Spike had just broken a guard's neck.

Shinji's sensitive nose detected a slight change in the odor of the building. He ducked; just in time to see a dart whiz over his head. Shinji turned around fast to see ten soldiers in full tactical uniform advancing on him. Behind them was the same man Shinji had seen at the airport the day before. He was still wearing a fedora and trench coat, but his scent was unmistakable. It was Rokubungi.

"I want him taken alive," said Rokubungi.

The tac-troops charged Shinji, firing their dart guns. Shinji managed to dodge most of the projectiles, but one stuck into his right bicep. Almost instantly, Shinji felt a wave of nausea and disorientation wash over him.

"Can you feel it yet, Azrael?" Rokubungi asked cruelly, "This tranquilizer was specially formulated by me to knock you out. You should begin to feel its effects right…about…_now_."

Shinji collapsed to the floor, all the strength draining from his body. He tried to struggle back to his feet, but to no avail. The tranq was in full effect.

_Azrael…_Shinji thought fadingly, _What's…gonna…happen…?_

The only answer he received was Rokubungi's triumphant laughter as his eyes slid closed.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Shinji awakened some time later. The first thing he was aware of was a massive headache that made him feel like his skull was cracking open. The next thing he realized was that he was chained to a heavy, metal chair in a darkened room with a beam of light shining down on him. It was impossible for him to see the rest of the room around him.

"It has awakened," came a voice from out of the darkness.

"Satisfactory," said another voice, deeper than the first one.

"_This_ is the beast that has sought us for months?" mocked a third voice. Shinji could discern at least seven other voices all muttering and laughing outside his field of view.

"Who are you?!" Shinji demanded weakly. His strength was still depleted. He couldn't even hear Azrael's voice in his head.

"Who do you _think_ we are, werewolf scum?" asked the second voice.

"You're…the High Council?" Shinji realized, "So…almost face-to-face at last. Took you long enough to find me."

"Do not delude yourself, werewolf scum," said the man, "We have been tracking _you_ for nearly the amount of time that _you_ have been searching for _us_. We have tracked down where you _live_, _who_ you live with, and the names of most of your_ associates_. What we cannot fathom is _why_ a werewolf has been seeking out an Order that is sworn to the eradication of their kind."

"Maybe I was just curious," Shinji said rebelliously.

"Rokubungi," the man said, "Continue with your tests."

"Where's Misa—," Shinji started to ask. Suddenly, a massive electrical shock surged through the metal chair and Shinji's body.

"EEEAAAAARRRGGHHH!!" Shinji screamed in agony, "WHAT—THE—_FUCK_—DO—YOU—_**WANT**_?!"

The Council members all laughed as Shinji continued to squirm painfully in the lightning-chair.

"What do we _want_?!" the man who had spoken before asked disdainfully, "What we, the Council of Moonwatchers, are sworn to do is to rid the world of your monstrous race once, and for all. What do we _want_?! We…want…_purity_!"

The current was stopped to Shinji's chair. Shinji slumped hard against his chains, breathing unevenly.

_Okay…_ he thought, _Now I'm worried…I've no way of contacting Angel or anyone else. I'm too weak to break free, and they're going to torture me and _kill_ me! Dear God in heaven…someone please _help me_!_

"Again!" rang out the lead Councilman's voice.

Shinji screamed anew as a fresh jolt ripped through his tired form. Shinji wished that he would just _die_ and have done with the agony. Every particle of his being begged for death, yet the pale horseman would not embrace him.

"Enough!" came a powerful voice from outside the ring of light. It didn't belong to any one of the Council's members. There was a clattering sound, and then the electricity abated again.

"Who _dares_?!" demanded the lead Councilman.

"_We_ dare, you manky gits!" came a drawling British accent.

_It _can't_ be…_ Shinji thought, hardly daring to hope.

"G-guys?" Shinji gasped weakly.

"Hang on, mate," called Spike, "Here comes the bloody _cavalry_!"

Shinji heard the whistling sound of knives being thrown and screams as they reached their fleshy targets. Rei and Team Angel dropped into the center of the room and formed a defensive ring around Shinji.

"Guards!" screamed the leader, "Eliminate them! At once!"

"I'm guessin' this was plan 'B', then!" Spike said excitedly.

"Plan 'B': Kill 'em all," Shinji confirmed.

Heavily armed tactical troops charged into the room by the dozen. Shinji's body was producing adrenaline by the gallon to try and compensate for his lack of strength. Shinji wasn't sure which buzzing in his head was the worst; the leftover pain from the tranquilizer, the electrical surge that was still making his muscles twitch, or the epinephrine rush that was making his heart race. He decided on something. Chains might be fine for "gangstas", but they weren't for him. Shinji tried as hard as he could to hear the wolf's call within him.

"Raise the current on that chair as high as it will go!" the leader shouted, "Fry that damned creature!"

Shinji smiled wolfishly. He had finally heard the song of the night and could feel his humanity slipping away. His body became so large that the chains began to creak and groan as they tried to keep him restrained. Shinji flexed his enormous chest, and the chains broke away, rattling to the floor.

"Uh-oh," Angel said loudly in a childish sing-songy voice, "I think someone's _angry_…"

Shinji roared and picked up a length of chain. Swinging it over his head like a flail, he threw himself over the top of his ring of defenders and landed in the middle of one of the tactical teams.

"Attack!" yelled Angel.

"Kill them all!" screamed the leader of the Council, "Come, gentlemen, we must escape this place!"

Shinji could hear the other Council members running from the room. He could track them all down later and kill them. He promised that to himself. Shinji slashed and smashed at every soldier within his reach. At one point, Shinji had one troop impaled through the chest on one of his talons while he bit into the throat of a second one and swung his chain so hard that it snapped a third troop's head clean _off_! His bloodlust was in full rancor, driving him onward, making him wild and ruthless. By himself, Shinji slaughtered nearly three dozen of the almost one hundred soldiers that had been summoned to kill him. One man's blood was still absent from the large pool that stained the floor, however.

"_Rokubungiiii!_" Shinji bellowed.

_I just spoke!_ Shinji realized, _That's…weird…aw, who cares? I want that bastard's _blood_!_

"_Angel_," Azrael growled, "_I'm going after Rokubungi. Find Misato._"

"Count on it," Angel replied, "Good hunting."

"I like how the kid thinks!" Spike shouted over the din of the melee.

Azrael charged out of the room and into a long hallway. He could smell that filthy son of a bitch's trail easily. It stood out like the smell of decaying flesh amongst a field of lilies. He followed the smell up a long flight of stairs to the roof of the building. Once there, Shinji realized that he had been removed from the warehouse after he had been knocked out. Shinji saw a helipad and on it, a helicopter preparing for take-off. Preparing to climb into the helicopter was his quarry.

"_Rokubungi!_" Azrael bellowed.

"No!" the man gasped, turning to face his pursuer, "It's not _possible_! NO!"

Azrael crossed the rooftop in a single, flying leap and dragged the man away from the chopper. He grabbed the trench-coated man by the leg and flung him into a large, air-conditioner unit. The chopper pilot, seeing this rampaging beast on the roof next to him, panicked and took off. Shinji wanted nothing more than to pounce on his offender and rip out his jugular, but that would have been too easy.

_He doesn't _deserve_ to die quickly like that_, Shinji thought, enraged with the need for vengeance, _No…oh, no…his death's gonna slow, and _oh_, so painful!_

Shinji strode over to where the man lay. Shinji smelled him carefully. He was lying too still to be unconscious. Just as Shinji was thinking that it might be a trap, Rokubungi produced a tranquilizer-gun and pulled the trigger. Shinji's reflexes, which had been heightened by his adrenaline rush, made time seem to move slower; so _much_ slower, in fact, that he reached out, and caught the small, flying dart by its tail feathers and flung it back into the neck of its shooter. The shocked man clutched at his neck, gagging and gasping for air. He stumbled backwards, finally catching his shoe on the edge of the roof and plummeting over. Shinji heard a shrill scream as he fell, and then a dull "thump!" as the body hit the pavement below. Shinji smiled with satisfaction as he returned to his human form.

"It's over," Shinji said to the empty roof as he turned back towards the stairwell.

"It's not," came a raspy voice from behind Shinji.

Shinji turned around fast and saw Rokubungi climbing back over the top of the roof.

"That's _impossible_," Shinji said, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Not for me," the being answered, "Gendo Rokubungi cannot be killed."

"That _name_," Shinji realized with wonder, "Gendo…"

"Yes, boy," said Rokubungi, "You are my son; my own, misbegotten flesh and blood. Had I known what your mother _was_, I would _never_ have married her in the first place!"

"What she was?" Shinji repeated, mind still numb with shock.

"You said you've been searching for the answers to your sordid past?" Rokubungi asked, "Let me inform you, boy. Your mother's bloodline is where you get your polluted werewolf birth. That's why I _killed_ her, you see. I was already a member of the glorious Council, and sworn to kill any werewolf that I came across. After you were born, she told me what she was, concerned that you might have inherited her curse. That night, while she slept, I crept upon her and slit her throat, and then stabbed a silver knife right into her monstrous heart!"

The evil man laughed maniacally. Then, he continued:

"Once I knew what your _mother_ was, boy, I then decided to destroy her bastard offspring. However, you displayed no signs that you shared her blood. Therefore, you lived through your infancy. However, you were still _her_ child, and not one that I wanted to raise, so I gave you away."

Angry, spiteful tears were beginning to form in Shinji's eyes. The crazed man still had more to say:

"Despite not wishing to ever see your face again for as long as I lived, the Council decreed that I was to follow you until manhood to see if you started to display signs of the disease."

"I'm _not_ a disease!" Shinji shouted, "_You_ are!"

"Reluctantly, I obeyed their orders," Gendo continued, ignoring Shinji's outburst, "I followed you from town to town, house to house, life to life, for eighteen long years. Until, finally, you came here to Los Angeles for your eighteenth year. I should have known what was to come to pass when the moon was waxing full on the nights leading up to your birthday. But then, that meddler _Kaji_ found you and tried to _kill_ you. I knew that the Council intended for me to kill you _myself_, so I flung the same silver knife I had used to slit your bitch of a mother's throat into that monster's black heart!"

"It was _you_!" Shinji gasped, "That's what Kaji meant as he was dying! He must have seen you or smelled you or…"

"Oh, yes, he saw me," said Gendo, "But he saw me only _after_ I stuck the knife in his heart. After you all rushed off to tend to his _other_ victim, I collected the body for destruction and my knife for cleaning. Oh, yes, we planned everything, the Council and I, _except_ for your sabbatical to Europe. Our Romanian branch was ordered to capture you for transport back here to L.A. Of course, _you_ had to resist and become obstinate. How is your back, by the way, son? Still scarred?"

"Enough talk," Shinji snarled, tears now pouring down his face, "Unless you want to answer me this one question: Where's Misato?"

"By now, she's back in her nice, cozy little house, thinking that all this was a bad dream," Gendo answered, "We only kidnapped her to facilitate your going to that warehouse. We planted that address with each of the troops that we sent to your house, hoping that you'd do the expected thing and interrogate one of them for our location. I must say, you're easier to manipulate than I _thought_ you would be."

Shinji roared and gave over to Azrael. He threw himself at his father, blind hatred burning in the pit of his stomach. His massive inertia drove the two men over the side of the building and down, ten stories, to the pavement below. Shinji made sure that his father hit the pavement first and gave him something soft and fleshy to land on. Shinji punched and clawed at the deranged man, fully intent on inflicting as much bodily pain as he was able to.

Shinji was surprised when Gendo struck back, catching him under his chin with a fist; a fist that felt like solid steel. Shinji was sent sprawling backwards onto the pavement, but he recovered quickly and got to his feet. Gendo was now also standing up again, with barely a scratch on him.

"_How did you survive two falls?_" Azrael demanded.

"I am immortal," his father replied with an insane grin. He tore open his shirt and revealed an arcane-looking symbol tattooed on his chest.

"So long as this rune adorns my flesh, I cannot be killed," Gendo said triumphantly.

_I've got a solution for _that_,_ Shinji thought viciously.

"The rune _also_ gives me the physical might to match your _own_, so that I may eradicate you with my own, bare hands!" the insane man howled, leaping at Shinji.

Shinji saw him coming and dodged to one side. The two combatants stalked and circled each other slowly; each looking for an opening or weakness to exploit. Shinji heard running footfalls approaching.

"Shinji!"

"_Stay out of this, Rei,_" Shinji called back, not daring to take his eyes off of his father.

"But I—,"

"Leave it," Shinji heard Angel say, "This is something that has to be handled between father and son."

"Give it to 'im!" Spike yelled, "Ream him a new arse, Shinji!"

Shinji grinned evilly at his bastard father.

"Come and get me…_son_," Gendo growled tauntingly.

"_With pleasure_," Shinji replied. Then, he roared and charged his father. Unfortunately, this played right into the older man's hands. Gendo caught Shinji by the arms and threw him up and through one of the building's windows.

_Stupid!_ Shinji berated himself, _You did just what he wanted, and now you're on the defensive!_

Shinji rolled back to his feet and waited. Sure enough, moments later, Gendo came leaping back through the window and aimed for Shinji. He unsheathed a silver knife from his belt and advanced towards his son. Shinji eyed the knife with a mix of dread, uncertainty, and anger.

_The knife that murdered mom,_ he thought, _Now he's going to try and kill _me_ with it. Not today, damn it!_

Gendo slashed at Shinji with his knife, drawing blood from his forearm. Shinji roared with pain as the silver made his skin burn. Gendo laughed and stabbed at Shinji, aiming for his torso. Shinji was ready for him this time and rolled off to one side, avoiding the blade. Shinji sliced at Gendo with his talons, drawing a large gout of blood from the man's shoulder and causing him to roar with pain. The fight passed through several rooms until it lead back to the room with the metal chair. Shinji realized where the Council had taken him.

_We're in the old, abandoned hospital building on East Boulevard, _Shinji thought, _This must be one of the old theatre rooms._

"Prepare to die, _son_," Gendo roared. He whipped the knife at Shinji, aiming for his heart.

"_You first_," Shinji growled, catching the weapon. He tackled his father and used the knife to slash off the skin from his chest.

"_No more tattoo_," said Shinji, "_No more strength. No more immortality._"

Gendo was paralyzed with pain. Shinji dragged him over to the metal chair and threw him into it. Then, he took the remains of the chains and bound his hated father to the chair. Without his tattoo, Gendo did not have the strength with which to free himself. Shinji looked around, trying to find the switch.

_There it is, on the top level,_ Shinji thought, nodding to himself.

"The—Council will be around for longer than _you_ will!" Gendo said haltingly, "We…are eternal. Sooner or later, one of us _will_ hunt you down!"

"_Maybe_," said Azrael, "_But_ _not you, and not today. Good-bye, father. I'll see you in hell._"

As Shinji reached for the switch, he heard Gendo mumble:

"Forgive me, Shinji…"

Shinji pulled the switch and activated the chair. There was a massive crackling sound as enough electricity to cook an elephant flooded the chair. In a matter of a few moments, Shinji's father's corpse was naught but a charred, smoking husk. He shut off the current jumped back down to the theatre floor, returned to his human form and looked down at the burned remains of his father.

"I forgive you…father."


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"So…that it, then?" Spike asked as the rest of the group entered the theatre, "Did you finish him off?"

"Yeah, Spike," Shinji said quietly, "it's over. I just killed my father; the man who helped to make me a monster."

"What about the rest of the Council?" Rei asked anxiously, "They all got away, except for the ones who caught a knife in their heart."

"We can hunt them down later," said Shinji, "I'm tired now, and I want to go home and check on Misato. Angel, Spike, Illyria…I can't ever thank you all _enough_ for all of your help these past months."

"Don't worry about it," Angel replied, "It's what we do; _especially_ for our friends."

"Damn skippy," said Spike, "You're a pip, mate; a bona-fide, bloody _hero_."

"You showed great courage this night," Illyria added, "I am proud to call you my ally…and…my friend."

The two vampires looked at Illyria with eyebrows raised high. Apparently, it was very rare for her to call _anyone_ her friend. Shinji smiled at the compliment from the she-demon, feeling himself blushing slightly at the attention.

"Thank you all," Shinji repeated.

"Let's go, Shinji," said Rei, "I'm ready to go home, too."

Shinji nodded. He and Rei waved good bye to their friends and left the decrepit building. Shinji transformed into Azrael.

"_Climb on my back, Rei_," he growled, "_We'll get back to the car faster_."

Rei climbed awkwardly onto Shinji's broad back and wrapped her arms around his trunk-like neck. She wondered how she was going to be able to stay up on her precarious perch with the way Shinji galloped as a wolf. Shinji started to jog at a slow lope. Rei carefully wrapped her legs as well as she could around Shinji's barrel-like ribcage. Shinji, feeling Rei secure herself, increased his rate of motion to a higher lope. Rei closed her eyes and clung nervously to her large, furry companion. She opened her eyes when Shinji stopped running. They had reached the Stingray. Rei slid down off of Shinji's back and climbed into the car. Shinji shifted back to human form and got into the car after her. The ride home seemed to take forever, despite there being very little traffic on the road. When Shinji and Rei finally arrived at the cul-de-sac, Shinji got very tense.

"What's wrong?" Rei asked.

"Stay on your toes," said Shinji, "We don't know if there are any remnants of the Council's forces waiting for us at home."

"You don't think they're holding Misato hostage, do you?"

"For their sake, I _hope_ they're not," Shinji growled. He was tired; tired of the fighting, tired of the blood, and most especially, tired of the _killing_. He thought about what Rei had said after he had executed the soldier he had interrogated: "_You used to be so gentle…_"

"I still am…" Shinji whispered.

"Hmm?"

"Nothing, Rei," Shinji replied, "It's nothing."

The pair pulled into Misato's driveway and parked. As soon as he climbed out of the car, Shinji transformed into Azrael and began to sniff. He smelled Misato. Her scent trail led into the house. Mingled with it was an amalgam of five or six different scent trails.

_So…_ Shinji thought, _a spec ops team _was_ here after all. Their trail is hotter than Misato's is, though; fresher. They came back out._

"_I think it's safe,_" Azrael growled. Rei nodded.

The pair carefully opened the front door of the house and stepped inside. Shinji heard his claws clicking on the hardwood hallway floor. He stretched out with his senses and filled the whole house, trying to find Misato. He shifted back to human form.

"What is it?" Rei asked, "Do you know where she is?"

"Her bedroom," Shinji replied, quickly heading for the stairs. Rei was hot on his heels.

When they reached the upstairs, Shinji told Rei to stand back against the wall while he reached for the door handle. Slowly and carefully, Shinji pushed open the door to Misato's bedroom, checking for tripwires and other triggering devices for explosives. He didn't encounter any, so he pushed the door the rest of the way open and looked inside. His heart leapt with relief. Misato was lying on her bed, soundly asleep. Shinji motioned an all-clear to Rei and stepped quietly into the room.

Shinji made his way across the floor and sat down on the edge of Misato's bed. His dark-haired beauty stirred and rolled towards the pressure she felt on her bed. Her eyes fluttered and opened, and then widened with shock.

"Shinji?!" she gasped, "Oh, god, what a crazy dream! I just dreamed that I was kidnapped by that Moonwatcher cult."

"It wasn't a dream," said Rei from the doorway, "The Council _did_ kidnap you, Misato. That's why Shinji's arm is bleeding. They took you to get him to come _after_ you; right into a _trap_."

"I should have sensed it," Shinji grumbled, "Should've _realized_ it would be a _trap_."

"Don't beat yourself up, Shinji," said Rei consolingly, "I would have made the same mistake. They were sneaky; laying out false clues to follow, playing on your emotions. Anyone _human_ would have fallen for it. And that's just what you are, Shinji: _Human_."

"I'm _not_ human," Shinji protested, "I'm a _werewolf_."

"A werewolf is still part human," said Rei, "The parts that _make_ us human are still very much a part of who you are; honor, dignity, loyalty, courage…and love. Our _heart_ is what makes us human, Shinji. Nothing else matters. _Your_ heart has been scarred by years of torment and loneliness…and _hate_, but you haven't succumbed to those darknesses. You've risen _above_ those hurtful feelings; _used_ them to make you stronger while, at the same time, fighting to maintain your gentle nature."

"I'm not a killer," Shinji said quietly. He sounded almost as though he were trying to convince _himself_, more than anyone else.

"No," Misato said, joining the conversation again, "you're not. You're just a man who's been _driven_ to kill; _forced_ to by circumstances beyond your control. You're not _evil_ like the men who hunted you."

"No," Shinji whispered hoarsely, feeling tears creeping into his eyes again, "No, I'm _not_ evil. I'm _not_!"

"Of course you're not, baby," Misato cooed, gathering Shinji into her loving embrace, "You're just a young man, thrust into a world of violence that he never wanted to be a part of. You just want to be left alone to live your life."

"With the people I love," Shinji added, calming slightly in Misato's arms, "People who love me _back_, too."

"Of course we do," Rei said bracingly, "Misato and I love you more than anything."

"That's right, Shinji," Misato agreed tenderly, "Now…would a hot shower or bath help to calm you down a little?"

"I don't know," Shinji replied dully, "Can hot water wash away the knowledge that I killed my father?"

"You did?" Misato asked, trying to hide her shock.

"He did," Rei replied, "Strapped him to an electric chair and fried him."

"His blood's on my hands," Shinji moaned, staring at his blood-stained fingers, "His, as well as the blood of dozens more. I killed them all…and I enjoyed every minute of it! I'm a killer! I spilled blood by my own hand!"

"They weren't innocent, Shinji," Misato said, pulling up the hysterical young man and looking him in the eyes, "They tried to kill you, Rei, and everyone else who was with you. You're still a pure soul."

"So pure that I killed my own _father_?" Shinji asked hotly.

"Yes," Misato answered, a matronly look on her face.

"How can you think so _simply_?" Shinji wondered, distraught, "I know that he was a bastard, and that he abandoned me, stalked me my whole life, and then tried to _kill_ me, but he was still, by blood, my _father_! I _shouldn't_ have _killed_ him!"

"Yes, you damn well _should_ have!" Misato said loudly, practically yelling at Shinji as she shook him violently, "Now calm down and _listen_ to me god dammit! You just said yourself that your father _abandoned_ you as a child and then tried to _kill_ you tonight. What about your mother? She's dead, right?"

"Yes," Shinji said quietly, "Father killed her, _murdered_ her in her sleep."

"Then that's it, then," said Misato, as though finalizing something, "_That's _why you killed him: you were _avenging_ what he did to your mother. Don't think of it as cold-blooded murder, think of it as _justice_; justice that was _long_ overdue. You're a good boy, Shinji. I know that you'll always do what's right."

"I—I think you're right…Misato," Shinji hiccupped, "I still just…don't know how to live with the blood…of all the men I killed tonight."

"I'm not gonna to say that it's gonna to be easy for you. But there's an old saying: time heals all wounds," Misato replied sagely, "If you just relax, take a step back from all of this, and lean on Rei and me for support, I really think you can get through this. You're strong, Shinji. You've proven that time after time, for as long as I've known you. Don't you think that you've earned a rest? Let someone else help you carry this burden. It's not a weakness to ask for help when you can't handle your problems alone."

There was a long moment of absolute quiet in the bedroom. Then, a very subdued, silent, almost _desperate_ whisper echoed in the still air:

"Help me…please…"

Misato and Rei smiled tearfully and held Shinji between them. Shinji broke down, the last vestiges of his strength and willpower giving in to the immense weariness of his body, mind, and heart. It all finally crested over him like a tidal wave, threatening to drown him in its miserable depths. As it all washed over him, Shinji was saved from drowning in it by a lifeline; his contact, physical as well as emotional, with Misato and Rei. They held him for long minutes, gently consoling the weeping, broken young man whom they dearly loved. Finally, Shinji started to regain some of his composure and sat up straighter.

"I think I'll go take a bath," he said, still sniffling a little, "I'm tired of smelling like blood and sweat."

"I could help you wash some of those hard-to-reach areas," Misato suggested, her voice gently playful, "Maybe…both of us could…"

"I suppose you could," Shinji replied, sounding weary and worn, "but I think I'd just like a quiet soak alone for a little bit, okay? I'll call you if I need anything."

"Okay," Misato replied reluctantly. Rei nodded with equal reluctance. Misato still wanted to be with him and hold him; that was her maternal "comforting" instincts talking. However, he was a grown man, and he had requested to be alone for the time being, and she was not the kind of person to ever pry or force her company on anyone, so she would respect his decision and just wait for him to call out to her.

Shinji walked over to his room, grabbed a clean bathrobe and his towel, and walked into the bathroom. A few moments later, Misato and Rei heard the bathtub filling. The two women sat down on the bed and waited.

Shinji climbed into the tub and let the hot water soothe his aching muscles. He could see the dried blood soaking away from him and sinking down to the bottom of the tub. It repulsed him. A stinging sensation brought his attention back to the slash on his arm. The hot water was causing him a large, nearly unbearable amount of pain.

_I've gotta wash the silver residue out of this wound, or it's never gonna heal,_ Shinji told himself resolutely, _Suck it up and do it!_

Shinji plunged his arm down into the tub water and groaned loudly. The pain was worse than if he had rubbed salt in his wound! Shinji grabbed the soap from the shelf beside the tub and scrubbed at his arm. He was trying to do it as quickly as possible so that he could get his arm up out of the burning water. Shinji's head snapped around as he heard the door come crashing open.

"Are you okay?!" Misato said, sounding panicked, "I heard you yell."

"I'm—_uhh!_—fine," Shinji groaned, "Just…washing out my arm, that's all. It hurts."

"I sorta guessed that," Misato said sarcastically.

Shinji pulled his arm up out of the water. It didn't burn as badly as it had, but it still wasn't starting to close. For Shinji, this meant that there was still a small amount of silver residue remaining in the wound. If he couldn't get the rest of the silver removed, he could possibly bleed to death.

"Misato," Shinji hissed through the pain, "In my travel bag, in my room, there's a small pouch. Bring it to me, quickly!"

Misato rushed out of the bathroom and rummaged through Shinji's backpack. She fished out a small, cloth pouch full of powerful-smelling herbs and dashed back into the bathroom. Shinji's arm was still bleeding into the tub, so he held out his left hand. Misato gave him the pouch.

"What is that stuff?" she asked.

"A concoction that I picked up from a clan of werewolves living in Sicily," Shinji answered, "They soaked my back with them after my sword wound and it healed like a normal wound…except for the scar, of course."

"What do they do?"

"I just wet the pouch and press the herbs against the wound. They neutralize the anti-coagulant effects of the silver," said Shinji, pressing the wetted pack to his arm. He winced. Then, after a few seconds, he relaxed. The stinging sensation was now gone, as was the burning pain of the silver residue. His wound was clean, and it could now heal, with the help of his werewolf abilities. Shinji had no doubts that it would leave another scar, but he was used to that.

"Feeling better now?" Misato asked.

"You tell me," said Shinji, pulling Misato in and kissing her ardently. Misato pulled away first.

"Wow," she whispered breathlessly.


	34. Chapter 34

**DANGER!! HUGE LEMON CONTENT AHEAD!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!**

Chapter 34

Misato practically dragged Shinji up out of the tub. Next, she almost strangled him with the towel trying to quickly dry him off. Shinji was surprised at Misato's verve.

_She's either really glad that I'm home safe, or she's just _really_ horny_, Shinji reasoned.

"Misato, what's--?"

"Shut up and kiss me again, Shinji!" Misato moaned passionately, pressing herself against him.

Shinji pulled Misato's head up to his own and kissed her with deep, ardent lust. Misato groaned into Shinji's mouth as she tongue-wrestled with him. Her back arched with a rush of ardor. Shinji wondered if she wasn't about to have an orgasm just from kissing him. Whatever was happening with her was driving _him_ wild, as well. His member grew to full mast in no time at all.

"Mmm…that big, juicy dick…It's _mine_," Misato moaned, dropping to her knees and stuffing the object of her desire into her warm, wet mouth. Shinji struggled to pull the plug on the tub. He wanted to let the bloody water go down the drain, yet at the same time, he didn't want to deprive Misato from sucking on her favorite piece of meat and that suction was making it exceedingly difficult for him to concentrate. Stretching his arms to their maximum and nearly cramping his shoulder, Shinji managed to grab the chain on the plug and tug it out of the drain. Now he could shift his full attention back to the world-class blowjob that Misato was giving him.

"Shit…" Shinji panted heavily, "Oh, Misato! Oh, goddamn!"

Shinji erupted in Misato's mouth, filling it so fast that Misato nearly choked. She gagged and let Shinji's wad shoot on her face and the front of her T-shirt (she had been in too much of a hurry to get at Shinji's hard-on to undress). Shinji, after his high had subsided, felt all of his blood rush back to his head. This caused the room to spin and him to nearly topple over. He caught himself just in time, though, and regained some of his equilibrium.

"It's time for bed, Shinji, darling," Misato purred.

"You're right," said Shinji faintly, "I really think I ought to lie down for the night. Go and bring Rei over to my bedroom, Misato. I'll be waiting."

"I'll be back shortly, master," Misato replied, falling back into her submissive state for Shinji.

Shinji stumbled carefully into his bedroom and collapsed onto the bed. He panted for air, trying to catch some of the breath that Misato had stolen away. Just a minute later, Misato came into the room from the hallway, leading Rei by the hand.

"I'm here with Rei as you requested, master," said Misato sensuously.

"Very good," Shinji replied, "Now…strip her."

"What?!" Rei gasped.

"You were pretty keen to tease me with it earlier," Shinji said, smiling evilly, "Now, it's time for you to follow through with that. Misato, strip Rei's clothes off while I watch."

"As my master wishes," Misato replied obediently. Then, she reached for the bottom seam of Rei's T-shirt. Rei resisted. Shinji saw Misato lean in close to the blue-haired vixen's ear. His ears weren't tuned to listen to her, so he missed whatever she might have said. He decided to address Rei's reluctance, instead.

"Why so shy, Rei?" Shinji asked, "It isn't like this is your first time with Misato."

"I'm just scared, Shinji," Rei replied, shaking nervously, "We've never done it around anyone else before, and you're her boyfriend so…"

She trailed off, fearing that she would destroy the relationship that the three of them all shared. Shinji chuckled disarmingly.

"Why do you think I asked Misato to bring you _over_ here, Rei?" Shinji asked, regaining more of his strength by the minute, "I want to see what the two of you had together while I was gone. Now relax and just have fun, Rei."

"Yeah, relax and have some fun, Rei," Misato parroted, her voice a sensual purr. Then, she leaned in close to Rei's ear again. Shinji was ready this time, and focused his hearing on her.

"Well done," he heard her murmur, "I think he bought it. Now let's _really_ give him a show."

Misato and Rei both grinned at Shinji. Then, Rei raised her arms and allowed Misato to peel her T-shirt over her head. Next, Misato undid the button and zipper on Rei's shorts and slid them down her silky legs. Rei was now standing in only her panties and a sports bra that she had put on prior to the rescue mission. Shinji looked at her and smiled.

"My, _my_, Rei," he said admiringly, "You certainly filled out while I was gone, didn't you?"

Rei bit her lip playfully and kneaded her breasts a little bit.

"Now the rest of it," Shinji directed calmly.

Misato tugged at Rei's panties while Rei peeled the sports bra over her head. She was now naked, while Misato still had her clothes on. Shinji noticed this and shook his head.

"What's wrong, master?" Misato asked, noticing the expression on his face.

"You're still clothed, Misato," Shinji stated, "I know that it's been several months, but do you remember rule number one?"

"Wear only what you tell me to, _when_ you tell me to," Misato recited.

"That's right," Shinji replied, "And have I told you that you could wear anything right now?"

"No," Misato answered, "but you never ordered me to _strip_, either."

"Where did you learn such _impudence_?" Shinji demanded.

"It was all Rei's doing, master," said Misato apologetically, "She was the one who taught me to disobey your orders."

"And _why_," Shinji asked, addressing Rei, "would you do something like _that_, Rei?"

"I was planning ahead," Rei answered seductively, "I _wanted_ Misato to disobey you, Shinji, so that you would have to _punish_ her for her disobedience. And I had hoped that I would be around to watch you do it."

Misato moaned happily. Shinji nodded approvingly.

"Such a cunning plan, Rei," Shinji said, a tone of admiration in his voice, "However, I can see one way that it can backfire."

"How's that?"

"You revealed your plan to me before it came to fruition," Shinji replied, "Now, I'm going to punish _you_, Rei, for teaching my slave such disobedient ways. Misato, bring her to me!"

Misato seized Rei by the arms and pushed her over to Shinji. Rei "tried" to struggle and resist, but Shinji snatched her tightly, dragged her over his lap and held her firmly. Misato looked on eagerly.

"Strip for me now, Misato," Shinji ordered. Misato nodded and obeyed, quickly stripping herself down to nothing.

"Good," Shinji said approvingly, "Now, come over here and spank this naughty ninja's ass."

Misato had obviously been hoping for a chance to do something along those very lines, because she eagerly stepped over to Shinji's side and brought her hand swiftly down on Rei's flank. Rei jumped in Shinji's lap and squealed with sudden pain and, Shinji suspected, some sick pleasure.

"Again!" said Shinji crisply.

Misato brought her hand down again, this time making contact on the opposite ass-cheek. Rei jumped again, still held down tightly by Shinji's powerful arms. Misato groaned happily as her hand came into contact with Rei's supple flesh. She relished the feeling of power that her master had given her over this newcomer in their relationship. Shinji nodded to Misato and she struck again, this time without verbal warning and much harder. Rei howled with mixed pain and pleasure as a fresh lance of fire slapped through her skin. She began to writhe with pleasure in Shinji's lap.

Misato raised her hand again, preparing to slap Rei's ass another time. Shinji shook his head at her. Misato looked hurt. Shinji winked at her and raised his own hand. He brought it down harder than Misato could slam her own hand, catching Rei off guard. She yelped with shock, making Shinji laugh.

Shinji gave Rei a few more smacks, relishing the squirm that she gave after every impact. Her ass quickly blushed a rosy shade of pinkish red. As Rei gasped with each strike, Misato moaned with pleasure. Finally, Shinji pushed Rei off of his lap. She slid down to the floor and waited on her knees.

"What will you do with her now, master?" Misato asked.

"I haven't decided yet," Shinji replied, "Is there anything in particular you'd like to watch her do, Misato?"

"I'd love to see her mouth get fucked by your big cock," Misato moaned softly.

"Oh, you _would_, would you?" Shinji asked, quirking an eyebrow.

"Please, master," Misato begged, "Fuck Rei's mouth!"

"You heard her, Rei," said Shinji, "Get up on the bed and lie on your back with your head hanging over the edge."

Rei was soon lying with her head hanging backward off the bed while Shinji positioned himself near her face. Misato watched (with mouth and pussy positively _drooling_) as Shinji sank his stiff pole into the tight confines of Rei's mouth. The blue-haired beauty groaned thickly around Shinji's hard staff as it pumped in and out of her throat. Shinji drove himself balls-deep into Rei's mouth, causing her to gag a little bit, and when Shinji pulled his cock back out, she coughed, and then begged for more. Shinji pulled out of Rei's mouth and held it just out of her reach.

"Misato, get up on the bed," Shinji ordered. Quickly, his purple-haired slave obeyed.

"Good. Now…eat Rei's pussy," Shinji said, "I want to see what you two did while I was gone."

Misato groaned happily and took a position between Rei's smooth thighs. Shinji watched hungrily as Misato lowered her face to Rei's smooth crotch and took a long, deep lick at her honey pot. Rei's moans of pleasure quadrupled in volume and intensity as Misato increased the tempo of her tongue-flicks. Rei moaned urgently.

"What's the matter, Rei?" Shinji asked teasingly.

"More!" Rei moaned, straining to try and reach Shinji's pulsing shaft. Shinji grinned lustily and sank his dick back into Rei's hot mouth, causing her to groan happily.

The blue-haired vixen's moans intensified further, now that she was being pleasured at both ends. When Misato suddenly inserted two of her fingers into Rei's love canal she gasped loudly, releasing her hold on Shinji's hard prick. She quickly recovered from the initial shock of penetration and clamped her mouth firmly back onto Shinji's meat rod and sucked hungrily. Shinji pulled himself out and away from Rei's mouth and stepped back.

"Up on Rei's face, Misato," Shinji directed, "I'm going to fuck your pussy while Rei gets to lick it. How's that sound?"

Both girls could only moan heartily in reply. Misato spun herself around and sat down onto Rei's mouth, never losing contact with the younger girl's nether region. Now, the two bisexual vixens busied themselves on each other's pleasure spots. Shinji took a long minute to stand back and watch the scene unfold before him.

_This is so weird, yet totally _awesome_ to watch,_ he thought to himself, _I love both of them, and they both love each other, and they both love me. What a tangled web we weave… Misato looks so hot with Rei's tongue in her pussy!_

Shinji maneuvered himself behind Misato and started groping her ass. Misato moaned appreciatively. She paused briefly from eating Rei out to say:

"Master, I've been so naughty tonight. I've disobeyed and questioned your commands. You have to punish me! Please!"

Shinji, not bothering with dirty talk or formalities this time, obliged Misato by giving her a vicious spanking. He paddled his naughty slave until her butt blushed as deep a shade of red as Rei's had. As he finished the assault, Shinji drove himself deeply into Misato's snatch and began to stroke vigorously in and out of her.

"Fuck yeah, master!" Misato cried out, "Fuck my slutty pussy while Rei licks my clit! Oh, god, yeah!"

Shinji pounded into Misato with merciless energy as Rei wrapped her lips around her clit and sucked. Misato shrieked with delight and came. Shinji pulled his shaft out of Misato's love canal and sank it in between Rei's lips. Rei moaned with glee as she tasted the combination of Misato's pussy juice and Shinji's masculinity.

"Now it's _your_ turn, Rei," Shinji growled. He got up on the bed and laid back. Rei immediately straddled his lap and sank happily onto his boner.

As Rei bounced on Shinji's rod, Misato climbed up behind her and reached around to grope the younger woman's ample bosom. Shinji watched with glee as Misato kneaded the fleshy mounds, pinched the, hard, pink nipples, and then gently twisted them until Rei squealed with glee.

"Oh, god!" Rei groaned, "It's been so long since I had you inside me, Shinji!"

"How long, Rei?" Shinji asked seductively.

"Since you deflowered me," Rei replied, "I haven't had a real dick since _you_ fucked me last, Shinji."

"You've been that lonely?" Misato purred.

"Yeah…" Rei sighed, shifting her attention back to the thick pole that was ramming itself up into her soaked love-folds.

"Oh, god, Shinji, I'm gonna cum!" Rei cried out.

And cum she did; long and hard. Since she was younger, Rei's pussy was already tighter than Misato's was. When that natural tightness combined with the squeezing sensation that happens when a girl cums, Shinji thought his cock was going to be squeezed off. After her peak had subsided, Rei toppled off of Shinji. Misato immediately took her place and rode Shinji as hard as she could. A few minutes of being ridden like a prize bull, Shinji felt another orgasm building.

"Uh! Oh, god!" he grunted, "Here it comes!"

Misato tumbled off of his cock and laid down next to Rei. Shinji took the hint and jerked himself off all over both women. Misato and Rei both giggled happily as Shinji's pearly cream coated their faces and tits. After Shinji was done, Misato and Rei sat up, faced each other, and began to rub Shinji's cum into each other's skin, giggling and purring all the while.

"Shinji," Misato cooed after they were done, "That was _incredible_!"

"No kidding," Rei sighed in agreement, "That was even better than the _first_ time…"

"It'll get better than that," Misato sighed sleepily, "The longer you're with somebody, the more creative the two of you can get in bed."

"We'll wait and see on that one," said Shinji, "After all, Rei, I never _did_ release you from your contract…"

"My what?" Rei asked, "Oh…yeah, that's right. I'm still your call-girl, aren't I? Well, this was certainly an interesting way for you to renew my contract. I kind of like the idea of coming over to give you and Misato a three-way once in a while. Do you two mind if I stay the night?"

"Do we even have to answer that?" Shinji replied, "Go to sleep, Rei."

"Gladly," Rei sighed. Then, she closed her eyes. Misato had also fallen asleep, leaving Shinji pinned and wide awake under two sleeping, beautiful women. He didn't mind, but he knew that it would be a long night if he couldn't sleep. However, Shinji suspected that long nights would become a regular part of his life since, after a few days off to relax and recover, he was going to hunt down the remaining members of the Moonwatchers' Council and remove their threat from the world once and for all.

_Your lovers will want to accompany you,_ Azrael said, entering Shinji's thoughts again.

_I know,_ Shinji replied contentedly, _and this time, I'll _welcome_ their company. Travelling alone isn't any fun. With the three of us together, I don't think there's a power on _earth_ that can stop us._

_Your confidence in yourself and your friends has grown, Young One,_ said Azrael, _I am proud of you._

_Thank you, Azrael,_ Shinji responded, _It's nice to hear that you approve, since I'm the half that makes all the decisions _any_way._

_You should rest now, Little Half,_ Azrael said gently, _Take your time to recover your full strength. The hunt can continue another day._

Shinji agreed. Suddenly, he felt very sleepy. His eyes began to slide closed. Shinji rolled his head to look out one of his large windows. In the deep, dark sky, he saw a crescent moon floating in its lazy orbit. Shinji's vision blurred and his eyes slid closed as sleep took him.

THE END!

**A.N.: Whew! Well, readers, it's been a long road for this story, but the ride's finally over ********. I'm also sad to say that this story might be my last one for a while, since I'm fresh out of ideas, and I'm going away to a real college this fall and will have to really concentrate on my schoolwork. As always, reviews are welcome! If you like this story, tell all your friends about it, and have them check out some of my other stories. I'll still be around, but as more of a reader than a writer. Till then, TTYL.**

**Andrew Hildreth**


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